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Major  General  Putnam. 


AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 


ISRAEL    PUTNAM, 

MAJOR-GEXERALIN  THE  REVOLUTIONARY  WAR. 


Illustrated  icith  Plates,  from  original  designs. 


BY  COLONEL  DAVID  HUMPHREYS. 

Aitl-de-camp  to  General  Washington,  and  Minister  Plenipotentiary  to  the 
Spanish  Court. 


BATTLE   OP  BUNKER    HILL 


HARTFORD: 

SILAS   ANDRUS    AND   SON, 

1847. 


Entered,  according  to  ihe  Act  of  Congress,  m  the  year  1833, 
by  EZBA  STRONG,  in  the  Clerk's  jffice  of  the  District  Court  of 
"  e  Southern  District  of  New  York. 


!,y 
ill. 


MEMOIRS 

OP 

MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM. 


ISRAEL  PUTNAM,  who,  through  a  regular 
gradation  of  promotion,  became  the  senior  Ma- 
jor-General in  the  army  of  the  United  States, 
and  next  in  rank  to  General  Washington,  was 
born  at  Salem,  Massachusetts,  on  the  7th  day 
of  January,  1718.  His  father,  Captain  Joseph 
Putnam,  was  the  son  of  Mr.  John  Putnam, 
who,  with  two  brothers,  came  from  the  south 
of  England,  and  were  among  the  first  settlers 
of  Salem. 

When  we  thus  behold  a  person,  from  the 
humble  walks  of  life,  starting  unnoticed  in  the 
career  of  fame,  and,  by  an  undeviating  progress 
through  a  life  of  honour,  arriving  at  the  highest 
dignity  in  the  state,  curiosity  is  strongly  ex- 
cited, and  philosophy  loves  to  trace  the  path  of 
glory  from  the  cradle  of  obscurity  to  the  sum- 
mit of  elevation. 

Although  our  ancestors,  the  first  settlers  of 
this  land,  amidst  the  extreme  pressure  of  po- 


4   LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

verty  and  danger,  early  instituted  schools  for 
the  education  of  youth  designed  for  the  learned 
professions,  yet  it  was  thought  sufficient  to  in- 
struct those  destined  to  labour  on  the  earth,  in 
reading,  writing,  and  such  rudiments  of  arith- 
metic as  might  be  requisite  for  keeping  the  ac- 
counts of  their  little  transactions  with  each 
other.  Few  farmers'  sons  had  more  advan- 
tages, none  less.  In  this  state  of  mediocrity  it 
was  the  lot  of  young  Putnam  to  be  placed.  His 
early  instruction  was  not  considerable,  and  the 
active  scenes  of  life  in  which  he  was  afterwards 
engaged,  prevented  the  opportunity  of  great 
literary  improvement.  His  numerous  original 
letters,  though  deficient  in  scholastic  accuracy, 
always  display  the  goodness  of  his  heart,  and 
frequently  the  strength  of  his  native  genius. 
He  had  a  certain  laconic  mode  of  expression, 
and  an  unaffected  epigrammatic  turn,  which 
characterized  most  of  his  writings. 

To  compensate  partially  for  the  deficiency 
of  education,  though  nothing  can  remove  or 
counterbalance  the  inconveniences  experienced 
from  it  in  public  life,  he  derived  from  his  pa- 
rents the  source  of  innumerable  advantages  in 
the  stamina  of  a  vigorous  constitution.  Nature, 
liberal  in  bestowing:  on  him  bodily  strength, 
hardiness,  and  activity,  was  by  no  means  par- 
simonious in  mental  endowments.  While  we 
leave  the  qualities  of  the  understanding  to  be 
developed  in  the  process  of  life,  it  may  not  be 
improper,  in  this  place,  to  designate  some  of  tho 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  5 

circumstances  which  were  calculated  to  distin- 
guish him  afterwards  as  a  partisan  officer. 

Courage,  enterprise,  activity,  and  perseve- 
rance, were  the  first  characteristics  of  his  mind. 
There  is  a  kind  of  mechanical  courage,  the 
offspring  of  pride,  habit,  or  discipline,  that  may 
push  a  coward  not  only  to  perform  his  duty, 
but  even  to  venture  on  acts  of  heroism.  Put- 
nam's courage  was  of  a  different  species.  It 
was  ever  attended  with  a  serenity  of  soul,  a 
clearness  of  conception,  a  degree  of  self-posses- 
sion, and  a  superiority  to  all  the  vicissitudes  of 
fortune,  entirely  distinct  from  any  thing  that 
can  be  produced  by  the  ferment  of  blood,  and 
flutter  of  spirits,  which  not  unfrequently  pre- 
cipitate men  to  action,  when  stimulated  by  in- 
toxication or  some  other  transient  exhilaration. 
The  heroic  character,  thus  founded  on  consti- 
tution and  animal  spirits,  cherished  by  educa- 
tion and  ideas  of  personal  freedom,  confirmed 
by  temperance  and  habits  of  exercise,  was  com- 
pleted by  the  dictate  of  reason,  the  love  of  his 
country,  andt  an  invincible  sense  of  duty.  Such 
were  the  qualities  and  principles  that  enabled 
him  to  meet  unappalled  the  shafts  of  adversity, 
and  to  pass  in  triumph  through  the  furnace  of 
affliction. 

His  disposition  was  as  frank  and  generous  as 
his  mind  was  fearless  and  independent.  He 
disguised  nothing;  indeed  he  seemed  incapable 
of  disguise.  Perhaps  in  the  intercourse  he  was 
ultimately  obliged  to  have  with  an  artful  world, 


6    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 


PUTNAM  CHASTISING  A 


his  sincerity,  on  some  occasions,  outwent  his 
discretion.  Although  he  had  too  much  suavity 
in  his  nature  to  commence  a  quarrel,  he  had 
too  much  sensibility  not  to  feel,  and  too  much 
honour  not  to  resent,  an  intended  insult.  The 
first  time  he  went  to  Boston  he  was  insulted  for 
his  rusticity  by  a  boy  of  twice  his  size  and  age ; 
after  bearing  the  sarcasms  until  his  patience 
was  worn  out,  he  challenged,  engaged,  and 
vanquished  his  unmannerly  antagonist,  to  the 
great  diversion  of  a  crowd  of  spectators.  While 
a  stripling,  his  ambition  was  to  perform  the 
labour  of  a  man,  and  to  excel  in  athletic  diver- 
sions. In  that  rude,  but  masculine  age,  when- 
ever the  village  youth  assembled  on  their  usual 
occasions  of  festivity,  pitching  the  bar,  running, 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  7 

leaping,  and  wrestling,  were  favourite  amuse- 
ments. At  such  gymnastic  exercises,  in  which, 
during  the  heroic  times  of  ancient  Greece  and 
Rome,  conquest  was  considered  as  the  promise 
of  future  military  fame,  he  bore  the  palm  from 
almost  every  ring. 

Before  the  refinements  of  luxury,  and  the 
consequent  increase  of  expenses,  had  rendered 
the  maintenance  of  a  family  inconvenient  or 
burdensome  in  America,  the  sexes  entered  into 
matrimony  at  an  early  age.  Competence,  at- 
tainable by  all,  was  the  limit  of  pursuit.  After 
the  hardships  of  making  a  new  settlement  were 
overcome,  and  the  evils  of  penury  removed,  the 
inhabitants  enjoyed,  in  the  lot  of  equality,  inno- 
cence, and  security,  scenes  equally  delightful 
with  those  pictured  by  the  glowing  imagination 
of  the  poets  in  their  favourite  pastoral  life,  or 
fabulous  golden  age.  Indeed,  the  condition  of 
mankind  was  never  more  enviable.  Neither 
disparity  of  age  and  fortune,  nor  schemes  of 
ambition  and  grandeur,  nor  the  pride  and  ava- 
rice of  high-minded  and  mercenary  parents, 
interposed  those  obstacles  to  the  union  of  con- 
genial souls,  which  frequently  in  more  polished 
society,  prevent,  embitter,  or  destroy  all  the  feli- 
city of  the  connubial  state.  Mr.  Putnam,  before 
he  attained  the  twenty-first  year  of  his  age,  mar- 
ried Miss  Pope,  daughter  of  Mr.  John  Pope,  of 
Salem,  by  whom  he  had  ten  children.  He  lost 
the  wife  of  his  youth  in  1764.  Some  time  after 
he  married  Mrs.  Gardiner,  widow  of  the  late  Mr. 


8    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

Gardiner  of  Gardiners  Island,  by  whom  he  had 
no  issue.  She  died  in  1777. 

In  the  year  1749  he  removed  from  Salem  to 
Pomfret,  an  inland,  fertile  town,  in  Connecticut, 
forty  miles  east  of  Hartford ;  having  here  pur- 
chased a  considerable  tract  of  land,~he  applied 
himself  successfully  to  agriculture. 

The  first  years  on  a  new  farm,  are  not  how- 
ever exempt  from  disasters  and  disappoint- 
ments, which  can  only  be  remedied  by  stubborn 
and  patient  industry.  Our  farmer,  sufficiently 
occupied  in  building  a  house  and  barn,  felling 
woods,  making  fences,  sowing  grain,  planting 
orchards,  and  talcing  care  of  his  stock,  had  to 
encounter,  in  turn,  the  calamities  occasioned  by 
drought  in  summer,  blast  in  harvest,  loss  of 
cattle  in  winter,  and  the  desolation  of  his  sheep- 
fold  by  wolves.  In  one  night  he  had  seventy 
fine  sheep  and  goats  killed,  besides  many  lambs 
and  kids  wounded.  This  havoc  was  commit- 
ted by  a  she  wolf,  which,  with  her  annual 
whelps,  had  for  several  years  infested  the  vi- 
cinity. The  young  were  commonly  destroyed 
by  the  vigilance  of  the  hunters,  but  the  old  one 
was  too  sagacious  to  come  within  reach  of  gun- 
shot ;  on  being  closely  pursued  she  would  ge- 
nerally fly  to  the  western  woods,  and  return  the 
next  winter  with  another  litter  of  whelps. 

This  wolf  at  length  became  such  an  into- 
lerable nuisance,  that  Mr.  Putnam  entered  into 
a  combination  with  five  of  his  neighbours,  to 
hunt  alternate) v  until  they  could  destroy  her. 


OF  MAJOR  GENERAL  PUTNAM.        9 

Two  by  rotation,  were  to  be  constantly  in  pur- 
suit. It  was  known  that,  having  lost  the  toes 
from  one  foot,  by  a  steel  trap,  she  made  one 
track  shorter  than  the  other.  By  this  vestige, 
the  pursuers  recognised,  in  a  light  snow,  the 
route  of  this  pernicious  animal.  Having  fol- 
lowed her  to  Connecticut  river,  and  found  she 
had  turned  back  in  a  direct  course  towards 
Pomfret,  they  immediately  returned,  and  by  ten 
o'clock  the  next  morning  the  bloodhounds  had 
driven  her  into  a  den,  about  three  miles  distant 
from  the  house  of  Mr.  Putnam.  The  people 
soon  collected  with  dogs,  guns,  straw,  fire  and 
sulphur,  to  attack  the  common  enemy.  With 
this  apparatus  several  unsuccessful  efforts  were 
made  to  force  her  from  the  den.  The  hounds 
came  back  badly  wounded,  and  refused  to  re- 
turn. The  smoke  of  blazing  straw  had  no  ef- 
fect ;  nor  did  the  fumes  of  burnt  brimstone,  with 
which  the  cavern  was  filled,  compel  her  to  quit 
the  retirement.  Wearied  with  such  fruitless 
attempts,  which  had  brought  the  time  to  ten 
o'clock  at  night,  Mr.  Putnam  tried  once  more 
to  make  his  dog  enter,  but  in  vain;  he  proposed 
to  his  negro  man  to  go  down  into  the  cavern 
and  shoot  the  wolf:  the  negro  declined  the  ha- 
zardous service.  Then  it  was  that  the  master, 
angry  at  the  disappointment,  and  declaring  that 
he  was  ashamed  to  have  a  coward  in  his  fami- 
ly, resolved  to  destroy  the  ferocious  beast,  lest 
she  should  escape  through  some  unknown  fis- 
sure of  the  rock.  His  neighbours  strongly  re- 


10  LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

monstrated  against  the  perilous  enterprise :  but 
he,  knowing  that  wild  animals  were  intimidated 
by  fire,  and  having  provided  several  strips  of 
birch-bark,  the  only  combustible  material  which 
he  could  obtain,  that  would  afford  light  in  this 
deep  and  darksome  cave,  prepared  for  his  descent. 
Having,  accordingly,  divested  himself  of  his  coat 
and  waistcoat,  and  having  a  long  rope  fastened 
round  his  legs,  by  which  he  might  be  pulled 
back,  at  a  concerted  signal,  he  entered  head 
foremost,  with  the  blazing  torch  in  his  hand. 

The  aperture  of  the  den,  on  the  east  side  of 
a  very  high  ledge  of  rocks,  is  about  two  feet 
square ;  from  thence  it  descends  obliquely  fif- 
teen feet,  then  running  horizontally  about  ten 
more,  it  ascends  gradually  sixteen  feet  towards 
its  termination.  The  sides  of  this  subter- 
raneous cavity  are  composed  of  smooth  and 
solid  rocks,  which  seem  to  have  been  divided 
from  each  other  by  some  former  earthquake. 
The  top  and  bottom  are  also  of  stone,  and  the 
entrance,  in  winter,  being  covered  with  ice,  is 
exceedingly  slippery.  It  is  in  no  place  high 
enough  for  a  man  to  raise  himself  upright,  nor 
in  any  part  more  than  three  feet  in  width. 

Having  groped  his  passage  to  the  horizontal 
part  of  the  den,  the  most  terrifying  darkness 
appeared  in  front  of  the  dim  circle  of  light  af- 
forded by  his  torch.  It  was  silent  as  the  house 
of  death.  None  but  monsters  of  the  desert  had 
ever  before  explored  this  solitary  mansion  of 
horror.  Cautiously  proceeding  onward,  he 


OF  MAJOR  GENERAL  PUTNAM.  11 

came  to  the  ascent,  which  he  slowly  mounted 
on  his  hands  and  knees  until  he  discovered  the 
glaring  eye-tails  of  the  wolf,  who  was  sitting  at 
the  extremity  of  the  cavern.  Started  at  the 
sight  of  fire,  she  gnashed  her  teeth,  and  gave  a 
sullen  growl.  As  soon  as  he  had  made  the  ne- 
cessary discovery,  he  kicked  the  rope  as  a  signal 
for  pulling  him  out.  The  people,  at  the  mouth 
of  the  den,  who  had  listened  with  painful  anxi- 
ety, hearing  the  growling  of  the  wolf,  and  sup- 
posing their  friend  to  be  in  the  most  imminent 
danger,  drew  him  forth  with  such  celerity  that 
his  shirt  was  stripped  over  his  head  and  his 
skin  severely  lacerated.  After  he  had  adjusted 
his  clothes,  and  loaded  his  gun  with  nine  buck- 
shot, holding  a  torch  in  one  hand  and  the  mus- 
ket in  the  other,  he  descended  the  second  time. 
When  he  drew  nearer  than  before,  the  wolf, 
assuming  a  still  more  fierce  and  terrible  appear- 
ance, howling,  rolling  her  eyes,  snapping  her 
teeth,  and  dropping  her  head  between  her  legs, 
was  evidently  in  the  attitude  and  on  the  point 
of  springing  at  him.  At  the  critical  instant  he 
levelled  and  fired  at  her  head.  Stunned  with 
the  shock,  and  suffocated  with  the  smoke,  he 
immediately  found  himself  drawn  out  of  the 
cave.  But  having  refreshed  himself,  and  per- 
mitted the  smoke  to  dissipate,  he  went  down  the 
third  time.  Once  more  he  came  within  sight  of 
the  wolf,  who  appearing  very  passive,  he  applied 
the  torch  to  her  nose,  and  perceiving  her  dead, 
he  took  hold  of  her  ears,  and  then  kicking  th* 


LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 


PUTNAM  DRAGGING    THE   WOLF    FROM    THE 
DEN. p.   12. 

rope,  the  pec^ie  above,  with  no  small  exultation 
dragged  them  both  out  together. 

I  have  offered  these  facts  in  greater  detail, 
because  they  contain  a  display  of  character ; 
and  because  they  have  been  erroneously  re- 
lated in  several  European  publications,  and 
very  much  mutilated  in  the  history  of  Connec- 
ticut, a  work  as  replete  with  falsehood  as  desti- 
tute of  genius,  printed  in  London. 

Prosperity,  at  length,  begun  to  attend  the 
agricultural  affairs  of  Mr.  Putnam.  He  was 
acknowledged  to  be  a  skilful  and  indefatigable 
manager.  His  fields  were  mostly  enclosed  with 
stone  walls.  His  crops  commonly  succeeded, 
becuuse  the  land  was  \vell  tilled  and  manured. 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  13 

His  pastures  and  meadows  became  luxuriant. 
His  cattle  were  of  the  best  breed,  and  in  good 
order.  His  garden  and  fruit-trees  prolific. 
With  the  avails  of  the  surplusage  of  his  pro- 
duce, foreign  articles  were  purchased.  Within 
doors  he  found  the  compensation  of  his  labours, 
in  the  plenty  of  excellent  provisions,  as  well  as 
in  the  happiness  of  domestic  society. 

A  more  particular  description  of  his  transi- 
tion from*  narrow  to  easy  circumstances  might 
be  given ;  but  the  mind  that  shall  have  acquired 
an  idea  of  the  habits  of  labour  and  simplicity, 
to  which  the  industrious  colonists  were  accus- 
tomed, will  readily  supply  the  omission.  The 
effect  of  this  gradual  acquisition  of  property, 
generally  favourable  to  individual  virtue  and 
public  felicity,  should  not,  however,  be  passed 
over  in  silence.  If  there  is  something  fascinating 
in  the  charms  of  a  country  life,  from  the  contem- 
plation of  beautiful  landscapes,  there  is  likewise 
something  elevating  to  the  soul,  in  the  con- 
sciousness of  being  lord  of  the  soil,  and  having 
the  power  of  creating  them.  The  man  can 
scarcely  be  guilty  of  a  sordid  action,  or  even 
descend  to  an  ungenerous  thought,  who,  re- 
moved from  the  apprehension  of  want,  sees  his 
farm  daily  meliorating  and  assuming  whatever 
appearance  he  pleases  to  prescribe.  This  situa- 
tion converts  the  farmer  into  a  species  of  rural 
philosopher,  by  inspiring  an  honest  pride  in  his 
rank  as  a  freeman,  nattering  the  natural  pro- 
pensity for  personal  independence,  and  nou- 


14    LIFE;  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

rishing  an  unlimited  hospitality  and  philan- 
thropy in  his  social  character. 

But  the  time  had  now  arrived  which  was  to 
turn  the  instruments  of  husbandry  into  wea- 
pons of  hostility,  and  to  exchange  the  hunting 
of  wolves,  who  had  ravaged  the  sheep-folds,  for 
the  pursuit  after  savages,  who  had  desolated  the 
frontiers.  Mr.  Putnam  was  about  thirty-seven 
years  old,  when  the  war  between  England  and 
France,  which  preceded  the  last,  broke  out  in 
America.  His  reputation  must  have  l>een  fa- 
vourably known  to  the  government,  since 
among  the  first  troops  that  were  levied  by  Con- 
necticut, in  1755,  he  was  appointed  to  the  com- 
mand of  a  company  in  Lyman's  regiment  of 
Provincials.  I  have  mentioned  his  age  at  this 
period,  expressly  to  obviate  a  prevalent  opinion, 
that  he  was  far  advanced  in  life  when  he  com- 
menced his  military  service. 

As  he  was  extremely  popular,  he  found  no 
difficulty  in  enlisting  his  complement  of  recruits 
from  the  most  hardy,  enterprising,  and  respect- 
able young  men  of  his  neighbourhood.  The 
regiment  joined  the  army,  at  the  opening  of 
the  campaign,  not  far  distant  from  Crown- 
Point.  Soon  after  his  arrival  at  camp,  he  be- 
came intimately  acquainted  with  the  famous 
partisan  Captain,  afterwards  Major  Rogers, 
with  whom  he  was  frequently  associated  in 
traversing  the  wilderness,  reconnoitring  the 
enemy's  lines,  gaining  intelligence,  and  taking 
straggling  prisoners,  as  well  as  in  beating  up 


OP  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  15 

the  quarters  and  surprising  the  advanced  pickets 
of  their  army.  For  these  operations  a  corps  of 
rangers  was  formed  from  the  irregulars.  The 
first  time  Rogers  and  Putnam  were  detached 
with  a  party  of  these  light  troops,  it  was  the 
fortune  of  the  latter  to  preserve,  with  his  own 
hand,  the  life  of  the  former,  and  to  cement  their 
friendship  with  the  blood  of  one  of  their  enemies. 
The  object  of  this  expedition  was  to  obtain 
an  accurate  knowledge  of  the  position  and  state 
of  the  works  at  Crown  Point.  It  was  imprac- 
ticable to  approach  with  their  party  near  enough 
for  this  purpose,  without  being  discovered. 
Alone,  the  undertaking  was  sufficiently  hazard- 
ous, on  account  of  the  swarms  of  hostile  In- 
dians who  infested  the  woods.  Our  two  parti- 
sans, however,  left  all  their  men  at  a  convenient 
distance,  with  strict  orders  to  continue  con- 
cealed until  their  return.  Having  thus  cau- 
tiously taken  their  arrangements,  they  advanced 
with  the  profoundest  silence  in  the  evening; 
and  lay,  during  the  night,  contiguous  to  the 
fortress.  Early  in  the  morning  they  approached 
so  close  as  to  be  able  to  give  satisfactory  in- 
formation to  the  General  who  had  sent  them, 
on  the  several  points  to  which  their  attention 
had  been  directed  :  but  Captain  Rogers,  being 
at  a  little  distance  from  Captain  Putnam,  for- 
tuitously met  a  stout  Frenchman,  who  instantly 
seized  his  fusee  with  one  hand,  and  with  the 
other  attempted  to  stab  him,  while  he  called  to 
an  adjacent  guard  for  assistance.  The  guard 


16  LIFE,  AN'ECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

answered.  Putnam,  perceiving  the  imminent 
danger  of  his  friend,  and  that  no  time  was  to  be 
lost,  or  farther  alarm  given  by  firing,  ran  ra- 
pidly to  them,  while  they  were  yet  struggling, 
and  with  the  but-end  of  his  piece  laid  the 
Frenchman  dead  at  his  feet.  The  partisans,  to 
elude  puisuit,  precipitated  their  flight,  joined 
the  party,  and  returned  without  loss  to  the  en- 
campment. Not  many  occasions  occurred  for 
partisans  to  display  their  talents  in  the  course 
of  this  summer.  The  war  was  checkered  with 
various  fortune  in  different  quarters — such  as 
the  total  defeat  of  General  Braddock,  and  the 
splendid  victory  of  Sir  William  Johnson  over 
the  French  troops,  commanded  by  the  Baron 
Dieskau.  The  brilliancy  of  this  success,  was 
necessary  to  console  the  Americans  for  the  dis- 
grace of  that  disaster.  The  time  for  which  the 
colonial  troops  engaged  to  serve  terminated 
with  the  campaign.  Putnam  was  re-appointed, 
and  again  took  the  field  in  1756. 

Few  are  so  ignorant  of  war  as  not  to  know, 
that  military  adventures,  in  the  night,  are  al- 
ways extremely  liable  to  accidents.  Captain 
Putnam,  having  been  commanded  to  reconnoi- 
tre the  enemy's  camp  at  the  Ovens  near  Ticon- 
deroga,  took  the  brave  Lieutenant  Robert  Dur- 
kee  as  his  companion.  In  attempting  to  exe- 
cute these  orders,  he  narrowly  missed  being 
taken  himself  in  the  first  instance,  and  killing 
his  friend  in  the  second.  It  was  customary  for 
the  British  and  Provincial  troops  to  place  their 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  17 

fires  round  their  camp,  which  frequently  ex- 
posed them  to  the  enemy's  scouts  and  patroles. 
A  contrary  practice,  then  unknown  in  the  En- 
glish army,  prevailed  among  the  French  and 
Indians.  The  plan  was  much  more  rational ; 
they  kept  their  fires  in  the  centre,  lodged  their 
men  circularly  at  a  distance,  and  posted  their 
sentinels  in  the  surrounding  darkness.  Our 
partisans  approached  the  camp,  and  supposing 
the  sentries  were  within  the  circle  of  fires,  crept 
upon  their  hands  and  knees  with  the  greatest 
possible  caution,  until,  to  their  utter  astonish- 
ment, they  found  themselves  in  the  thickest  of 
the  enemy.  The  sentinels,  discovering  them, 
fired,  and  slightly  wounded  Durkee  in  the  thigh. 
He  and  Putnam  had  no  alternative.  They  fled. 
The  latter,  being  foremost,  and  scarcely  able  to 
see  his  hand  before  him,  soon  plunged  into  a 
clay-pit.  Durkee,  almost  at  the  identical  mo- 
ment, came  tumbling  after.  Putnam,  by  no 
means  pleased  at  rinding  a  companion,  and  be- 
lieving him  to  be  one  of  the  enemy,  lifted  his 
tomahawk  to  give  the  deadly  blow,  when  Dur- 
kee, who  had  followed  so  closely  as  to  know 
him,  inquired  whether  he  had  escaped  unhurt. 
Captain  Putnam  instantly  recognising  his  voice, 
dropped  his  weapon :  and  both,  springing  from 
the  pit,  made  good  their  retreat  to  the  neigh- 
bouring ledges,  amidst  a  shower  of  random  shot. 
There  they  betook  themselves  to  a  large  log,  by 
the  side  of  which  they  lodged  the  remainder  of 
the  night.  Before  they  lay  down,  Captain  Pnt 


L8    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 


CAPT.  PUTNAM  AND  LIEUT.  DURKEfi's  ESCAPE. 

p.  17. 

nam  said  he  had  a  little  rum  in  his  canteen, 
which  could  never  he  more  acceptable  or  neces- 
sary ;  but  on  examining  the  canteen,  which 
hung  under  his  arm,  he  found  the  enemy  had 
pierced  it  with  their  balls,  and  that  there  was 
not  a  drop  of  liquor  left.  The  next  day  he 
found  fourteen  bullet  holes  in  his  blanket. 

In  the  same  summer,  a  body  of  the  enemy, 
consisting  of  six  hundred  men,  attacked  the 
baggage  and  provision  wagons  at  a  place  called 
the  half-way-brook  ;  it  being  equidistant  from 
Fort  Edward,  and  the  south  end  of  Lake 
George.  Having  killed  the  oxen,  and  plundered 
the.  wagons,  they  retreated  with  their  booty, 
without  having  met  with  such  resistance  as 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  19 

might  have  been  expected  from  the  strength  of 
the  escort.  General  Webb,  on  receiving  intel- 
ligence of  this  disaster,  ordered  the  Captains 
Putnam  and  Rogers  "  to  take  one  hundred 
volunteers  in  boats,  with  two  wall-pieces  and 
two  blunderbusses,  and  to  proceed  down  Lake 
George  to  a  certain  point ;  there  to  leave  the 
batteaux  under  a  proper  guard,  and  thence  to 
cross  by  land,  so  as  to  harass,  and,  if  practica- 
ble, intercept  the  retreating  enemy  at  the  nar- 
rows." These  orders  were  executed  with  so 
much  punctuality,  that  the  party  arrived  at  the 
destined  place  half  an  hour  before  the  hostile 
boats  came  in  view.  Here  they  waited,  under 
cover,  until  the  enemy  entered  the  narrows,  with 
their  batteaux  loaded  with  plunder.  Then  the 
volunteers  poured  on  them  volley  after  volley, 
killed  many  of  the  oarsmen,  sunk  a  number  of 
their  batteaux,  and  would  soon  have  destroyed 
the  whole  body  of  the  enemy,  had  not  the  un- 
usual precipitancy  of  their  passage  carried  them 
through  the  narrows  into  the  wide  part  of 
South  .Bay,  •where^fhey  were  out  of  the  reach 
of  musket-shot.  ,•  The  shattered  remnant  of  the 
little  fleet  soon  arrived  at  Ticonderoga,  and 
gave  informatipn  that  Putnam  and  Rogers  were 
at  the  narrows.  A  fresh  party  was  instantly 
detached  to  ctJ£  them  in  pieces,  on  their  return 
to  Fort  Edward.  Our  partisans,  sensible  of 
the  probability  of  such  an  attempt,  and  being 
full  twenty  miles  from  their  boats,  strained 
every  nerve  to  reach  them  as  soon  as  possi- 

•I 


20    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

ble ;  which  they  effected  the  same  night.  Next 
day,  when  they  had  returned  as  far  as  Sabbath- 
Day  point,  they  discovered,  on  shore,  the  be- 
forementioned  detachment  of  three  hundred 
men,  who  had  passed  them  in  the  night,  and 
who  now,  on  perceiving  our  party,  took  to  their 
boats  with  the  greatest  alacrity,  and  rowed  out 
to  give  battle.  They  advanced  in  line,  main- 
taining a  good  mien,  and  felicitating  themselves 
upon  the  prospect  of  an  easy  conquest,  from  the 
great  superiority  of  their  numbers.  Flushed 
with  these  expectations,  they  were  permitted  to 
come  within  pistol-shot  before  a  gun  was  fired. 
At  once,  the  wall-pieces  and  blunderbusses, 
which  had  been  brought  to  rake  them  in  the 
most  vulnerable  point,  were  discharged.  As  no 
such  reception  had  been  foreseen,  the  assailants 
were  thrown  into  the  utmost  disorder.  Their 
terror  and  confusion  were  greatly  increased  by 
a  well-directed  and  most  destructive  fire  of  the 
small  arms.  The  larger  pieces  being  reloaded, 
without  annoyance,  continued  alternately  with 
the  musketry  to  make  dreadful  havoc,  until  the 
rout  was  completed,  and  the  enemy  driven  back 
to  Ticonderoga.  In  this  action,  one  of  the 
bark  canoes  contained  twenty  Indians,  of  whom 
fifteen  were  killed.  Great  numbers,  from  other 
boats,  both  of  French  and  Indians,  were  seen  to 
fall  overboard:  but  the  account  of  their  total 
loss  could  never  be  ascertained.  Rogers  and 
Putnam  had  but  one  man  killed,  and  two 
slightly  wounded.  They  now  landed  on  the 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  21 

point,  and  having  refreshed  their  men  at  leisure, 
returned  in  good  order  to  the  British  camp. 

Soon  after  these  rencounters,  a  singular  kind 
of  race  was  run  by  our  nimble-footed  Provincial 
and  an  active  young  Frenchman.  The  liberty 
of  each  was  by  turns  at  stake.  General  Webb, 
wanting  a  prisoner  for  the  sake  of  intelligence, 
sent  Capt.  Putnam,  with  five  men,  to  procure 
one.  The  Captain  concealed  himself  near  the 
road  which  leads  from  Ticonderoga  to  the 
Ovens.  His  men  seemed  fond  ot  showing 
themselves,  which  unsoldier-like  conduct  he  pro- 
hibited with  the  severest  reprehension.  This 
rebuke  they  imputed  to  unnecessaty  fear.  The 
observation  is  as  true  as  vulgar,  that  persons 
distinguishable  for  temerity,  when  there  is  no 
apparent  danger,  are  generally  poltroons  when- 
ever danger  approaches.  They  had  not  lain 
long  in  the  high  grass,  before  a  Frenchman  and 
an  Indian  passed — the  Indian  was  considerably 
in  advance.  As  soon  as  the  former  had  gone 
by,  Putnam,  relying  on  the  fidelity  of  his  men, 
sprang  up,  ran,  and  ordered  them  to  follow. 
After  running  about  thirty  rods,  he  seized  the 
Frenchman  by  the  shoulders,  and  forced  him 
to  surrender  :  But  his  prisoner,  looking  round, 
perceiving  no  other  enemy,  and  knowing  the 
Indian  would  be  ready  in  a  moment  to  assist 
him,  began  to  make  an  obstinate  resistance. 
Putnam,  finding  himself  betrayed  by  his  men 
into  a  perilous  dilemma,  let  go  his  hold, stepped 
back,  and  snapped  his  piece,  which  was  levelled 


22    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

at  the  Frenchman's  breast.  It  missed  fire.  On 
this  he  thought  it  most  prudent  to  retreat.  The 
Frenchman,  in  turn,  chased  him  back  to  his 
men,  who,  at  last,  raised  themselves  from  the 
grass ;  which  his  pursuer  espying  in  good  time 
for  himself,  made  his  escape.  Putnam,  mortified 
that  these  men  had  frustrated  his  success,  dis- 
missed them  with  disgrace ;  and  not  long  after 
accomplished  his  object.  Such  little  feats,  as  the 
capture  of  a  single  prisoner,  may  be  of  infinitely 
more  consequence  than  some,  who  are  unac- 
quainted with  military  affairs,  would  be  apt  to 
imagine.  In  a  country  covered  with  woods,  like 
that  part  of  America,  then  the  seat  of  war,  the 
difficulty  of  procuring,  and  the  importance  of 
possessing  good  intelligence,  can  scarcely  be  con- 
ceived even  by  European  commanders.  They, 
however,  who  know  its  value,  will  not  appre- 
ciate lightly  the  services  of  an  able  partisan. 

Nothing  worthy  of  remark  happened  during 
this  campaign,  except  the  loss  of  Oswego.  That 
fort,  which  had  been  built  by  General  Shirley, 
to  protect  the  peltry  trade,  cover  the  country  on 
the  Mohawk  river,  and  facilitate  an  invasion  of 
Canada,  by  Frontenac  and  Niagara,  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  enemy,  with  a  garrison  of  six- 
teen hundred  men,  and  one  hundred  pieces  of 
cannon. 

The  active  services  of  Captain  Putnam  on 
every  occasion  attracted  the  admiration  of  the 
public,  and  induced  the  Legislature  of  Connec- 
ticut to  promote  him  to  a  majority  in  1757. 


OP  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  23 

Lord  Loudon  was  then  Commander-in-Chief 
of  the  British  forces  in  America.  The  expe- 
dition against  Crown  Point,  which  from  the 
commencement  of  hostilities  had  been  in  con- 
templation, seemed  to  give  place  to  a  more  im- 
portant operation  that  was  meditated  against 
Louisbourg.  But  the  arrival  of  the  Brest 
squadron  at  that  place  prevented  the  attempt ; 
and  the  loss  of  Fort  William  Henry  served  to 
class  this  with  the  two  former  unsuccessful 
campaigns.  It  was  rumoured,  and  partially 
credited  at  the  time,  that  General  Webb,  who 
commanded  in  the  northern  department,  had 
early  intimation  of  the  movement  of  the  French 
army,  and  might  have  effectually  succoured  the 
garrison.  The  subsequent  facts  will  place  the 
affair  in  its  proper  light. 

A  few  days  before  the  siege.,  Major  Putnam, 
with  two  hundred  men,  escorted  General  Webb 
from  Fort  Edward  to  Fort  William  Henry. 
The  object  was  to  examine  the  state  of  this 
fortification,  which  stood  at  the  southern  ex- 
tremity of  Lake  George.  Several  abortive  at- 
tempts having  been  made  by  Major  Rogers  and 
others  in  the  night  season,  Major  Putnam  pro- 
posed to  go  down  the  lake  in  open  day-light, 
land  at  Northwest  Bay,  and  tarry  on  shore  until 
he  could  make  satisfactory  discovery  of  the 
enemy's  actual  situation  at  Ticonderoga  and 
the  adjacent  posts.  The  plan  which  he  sug- 
gested, of  landing  with  only  five  men,  and  send- 
ing back  the  boats,  to  prevent  detection,  was 
C 


24    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

deemed  too  hazardous  by  the  General.  At 
length,  however,  he  was  permitted  to  proceed 
with  eighteen  volunteers,  in  three  whale  boats ; 
but  before  he  arrived  at  Northwest  Bay,  he  dis- 
covered a  body  of  men  on  an  island.  Imme- 
diately he  left  two  boats  to  fish  at  a  distance, 
that  they  might  not  occasion  an  alarm,  and  re- 
turned with  the  information.  The  General, 
seeing  him  rowing  back  with  great  velocity,  in 
a  single  boat,  concluded  the  others  were  cap- 
tured, and  sent  a  skiff,  with  orders  for  him  alono 
to  come  on  shore.  After  advising  the  General  of 
the  circumstances,  he  urged  the  expediency  of 
returning  to  make  farther  discoveries,  and  bring 
off  the  boats.  Leave  was  reluctantly  given.  He 
found  his  people,  and,  passing  still  onward,  dis- 
covered by  the  aid  of  a  good  perspective  glass, 
a  large  army  in  motion.  By  this  time,  several 
of  the  advanced  canoes  had  nearly  surrounded 
him.  but  by  the  swiftness  of  his  whaleboats,  he 
escaped  through  the  midst  of  them.  On  his 
return  he  informed  the  General  minutely  of  all 
he  had  seen,  and  intimated  his  conviction  that 
the  expedition  must  obviously  be  destined 
against  Fort  William  Henry.  That  command- 
er, strictly  enjoining  silence  on  the  subject,  di- 
rected him  to  put  his  men  under  an  oath  of 
secrecy,  and  to  prepare,  without  loss  of  time,  to 
return  to  the  head-quarters  of  the  army.  Major 
Putnam  observed,  he  "  hoped  his  excellency  did 
not  intend  to  neglect  so  fair  an  opportunity  of 
giving  battle,  should  the  enemy  presume  to 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  25 

land."  "  What  do  you  think  we  should  do 
here  ?"  replied  the  General.  Accordingly,  the 
next  day  he  returned,  and  the  day  after  Colonel 
Monro  was  ordered  from  Fort  Edward,  with 
his  regiment,  to  re-enforce  the  garrison.  That 
officer  took  with  him  all  his  rich  baggage  and 
camp  equippage,  notwithstanding  Major  Put- 
nam's advice  to  the  contrary.  The  day  follow- 
ing his  arrival,  the  enemy  landed,  and  besieged 
the  place. 

The  Marquis  de  Montcalm,  Commander-in- 
chief  for  the  French  in  Canada,  intending  to 
take  advantage  of  the  absence  of  a  large  pro- 
portion of  the  British  force,  which  he  under- 
stood to  be  employed  under  Lord  Loudori 
against  Louisbourg,  had  assembled  whatever 
men  could  be  spared  from  Ticonderoga,  Crown- 
Point,  and  the  other  garrisons :  with  these  he 
had  combined  a  considerable  corps  of  Cana- 
dians, and  a  larger  body  of  Indians  than  had 
ever  before  been  collected ;  making  in  the  whole 
an  army  of  nearly  eight  thousand  men.  Our 
garrison  consisted  of  twenty-five  hundred,  and 
was  commanded  by  Colonel  Monro,  a  veiy  gal- 
lant officer,  who  found  the  means  of  sending 
express  after  express  to  General  Webb,  with  an 
account  of  his  situation,  and  the  most  pressing 
solicitation  for  succour.  In  the  mean  time,  the 
army  at  Fort  Edward,  which  originally  amount- 
ed to  about  four  thousand,  had  been  consider- 
ably augmented  by  Johnson's  troops  and  the 
militia.  On  the  eighth  or  ninth  day  after  the 
2 


26    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

landing  of  the  French,  General  Johnson,  in  con- 
sequence of  repeated  applications,  was  suffered 
to  march  for  the  relief  of  the  garrison,  with  all 
the  provincials,  militia,  and  Putnam's  rangers ; 
hut  before  they  had  proceeded  three  miles,  the 
order  was  countermanded,  and  they  returned. 
M.  de  Montcalm  informed  Major  Putnam,  when 
a  prisoner  in  Canada,  that  one  of  his  running 
Indians  saw  and  reported  this  movement ;  and, 
upon  being  questioned  relatively  to  the  num- 
bers, answered  in  their  figurative  style,  "  If  you 
can  count  the  leaves  on  the  trees,  you  can  count 
them"  In  effect,  the  operations  of  the  siege 
were  suspended,  and  preparations  made  for  re- 
embarking,  when  another  of  the  runners  re- 
ported that  the  detachment  had  gone  back. 
The  Marquis  de  Montcalm,  provided  with,  a 
good  train  of  artillery,  meeting  with  no  annoy- 
ance from  the  British  army,  and  but  inconsi- 
derable interruption  from  the  garrison,  accele- 
rated his  approaches  so  rapidly,  as  to  obtain 
possession  of  the  fort  in  a  short  time  after  com- 
pleting the  investiture.  An  intercepted  letter 
from  General  Webb,  advising  the  surrender, 
was  sent  into  the  fort  to  Colonel  Monro  by  the 
French  general. 

The  garrison  engaged  not  to  serve  for  eigh- 
teen months,  and  were  permitted  to  march  out 
with  the  honours  of  war.  But  the  savages  re- 
garded not  the  capitulation,  nor  could  they  be 
restrained  by  the  utmost  exertion  of  the  com- 
manding officer,  from  committing  the  most  out- 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  27 

rageous  acts  of  cruelty.  They  stripped  and 
plundered  all  the  prisoners,  and  murdered  great 
numbers  in  cold  blood.  Those  who  escaped 
by  flight,  or  the  protection  of  the  French,  ar- 
rived in  a  forlorn  condition  at  Fort  Edward. 
Among  these  was  the  commandant  of  the  gar- 
rison. 

The  day  succeeding  this  deplorable  scene  of 
carnage  and  barbarity,  Major  Putnam  having 
been  despatched  with  his  rangers,  to  watch  the 
motions  of  the  enemy,  came  to  the  shore,  when 
their  rear  was  scarcely  beyond  the  reach  of 
musket-shot.  They  had  carried  off  all  the 
cannon,  stores,  and  water-craft.  The  fort  was 
demolished.  The  barracks,  the  out-houses,  and 
suttlers'  booths,  were  heaps  of  ruins.  The  'lires, 
not  yet  extinct,  and  the  smoke,  offensive  from 
the  mucilaginous  nature  of  the  fuel,  but  iHy 
concealed  innumerable  fragments  of  human 
skulls  and  bones,  andj  in  some  instances,  car- 
casses half  consumed.  Dead  bodies,  weltering 
in  blood,  were  every  where  to  be  seen,  violated, 
with  all  the  wanton  mutilations  of  savage  in- 
genuity. More  than  one  hundred  women, 
some  with  their  brains  still  oozing  from  the 
battered  heads,  others  with  their  whole  hair 
wrenched  collectively  with  the  skin  from  the 
bloody  skulls,  and  many,  with  their  throats  cut, 
most  inhumanly  stabbed  and  butchered,  lay 
stripped  entirely  naked,  with  their  bowels  torn 
out,  and  afforded  a  spectacle  too  horrible  for 
description. 


28  LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

Not  long  after  this  misfortune,  General  Ly- 
inan  succeeded  to  the  command  of  Fort  Ed 
ward.  He  resolved  to  strengthen  it.  For  this 
purpose,  one  hundred  and  fifty  men  were  em- 
ployed in  cutting  timber.  To  cover  them, 
Captain  Little  was  posted  with  fifty  British  re- 
gulars, at  the  head  of  a  thick  swamp,  about  one 
hundred  rods  eastward  of  the  fort,  to  which 
his  communication  lay  over  a  tongue  of  land, 
formed  ,011  the  one  side  by  the  swamp,  and  by 
a  creek  on  the  other.  " 

One  morning,  at  daybreak,  a  sentinel  saw 
indistinctly  several  birds,  as  he  conceived,  come 
from  the  swamp,  and  fly  over  him  with  incredi- 
ble swiftness.  While  he  was  ruminating  on 
these  wonderful  birds,  and  endeavouring  to 
form  some  idea  of  their  colour,  shape,  and  size, 
an  arrow  buried  itself  in  the  limb  of  a  tree  just 
above  his  head.  He  now  discovered  the  qua- 
lity and  design  of  these  winged  messengers  of 
fate,  and  gave  the  alarm.  Instantly  the  work- 
ing party  began  to  retreat  along  the  defile.  A 
large  body  of  savages  had  concealed  themselves 
in  the  morass  before  the  guard  was  posted,  and 
were  attempting  in  this  way  to  kill  the  sentinel 
without  noise,  with  design  to  surprise  the  whole 
party.  Finding  the  alarm  given,  they  rushed 
from  the  covert,  shot  and  tomahawked  those 
who  were  nearest  at  hand,  and  pressed  hard 
on  the  remainder  of  the  unarmed  fugitives. 
Captain  Little  marched  to  their  relief,  and,  by 
pouring, on  the  Indians  n  well-timed  fire, checked 


OK  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  29 

the  pursuit,  and  enabled  such  of  the  fatigue- 
men  as  did  not  fall  in  the  first  onset,  to  retire  to 
the  fort.  Thither  he  sent  for  assistance,  his 
little  party  being  almost  overpowered  by  num- 
bers. But  the  commandant,  imagining  that  the 
main  body  of  the  enemy  were  approaching  for 
a  general  assault,  called  in  his  outposts,  and 
shut  the  gates. 

Major  Putnam  lay,  with  his  rangers,  on  an 
island  adjacent  to  the  fort.  Having  heard  the 
musketry,  and  learned  that  his  friend  Captain 
Little  was  in  the  utmost  peril,  he  plunged  into 
the  river  at  the  head  of  his  corps,  and  waded 
through  the  water  towards  the  place  of  engage- 
ment. This  brought  him  so  near  to  the  fort, 
that  General  Lyman,  apprized  of  his  design, 
and  unwilling  that  the  lives  of  a  few  more 
brave  men  should  be  exposed  to  what  he  deemed 
inevitable  destruction,  mounted  the  parapet,  and 
ordered  him  to  proceed  no  farther.  The  major 
only  took' time  to  make  the  best  short  apology  he 
could,  and  marched  onward.  This  is  the  only 
instance,  in  the  whole  course  of  his  military 
service,  wherein  he  did  not  pay  the  strictest 
obedience  to  orders  ;  and  in  this  instance  his 
motive  was  highly  commendable.  But  when 
such  conduct,  even  if  sanctified  by  success,  is 
passed  over  with  impunity,  it  demonstrates  that 
all  is  not  right  in  the  military  system.  In  a 
disciplined  army,  such  as  that  of  the  United 
States  became  under  General  Washington,  an 
officer  guilty  of  a  slighter  violation  of  orders, 


LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 


MAJ.    PUTNAM    GOING    TO   CAPT.    LITTLE'S    AS- 
SISTANCE.  29. 

however  elevated  in  rank  or  meritorious  in  ser- 
vice, would  have  been  brought  before  the  bar 
of  a  court  martial.  Were  it  not  for  the  seduc- 
tive tendency  of  a  brave  man's  example,  I 
might  have  been  spared  the  mortification  of 
making  these  remarks  on  the  conduct  of  an 
officer,  whose  distinguishing  characteristics 
were  promptitude  for  duty  and  love  of  subor- 
dination, as  well  as  cheerfulness  to  encounter 
every  species  of  difficulty  and  danger. 

The  rangers  of  Putnam  soon  opened  their 
way  for  a  junction  with  the  little  handful  of 
regulars,  who  still  obstinately  maintained  their 
ground.  By  his  advice,  the  whole  rushed  im- 
petuously with  shouts  and  huzzas  into  the 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  *J1 

swamp.  The  savages  fled  on  every  side,  and 
were  chased,  with  no  inconsiderable  loss  on 
their  part,  so  long  as  the  day-light  lasted.  On 
ours,  only  one  man  was  killed  in  the  pursuit. 
His  death  was  immediately  avenged  by  that  of 
the  Indian  who  shot  him.  This  Indian  was 
one  of  the  runners,  a  chosen  body  of  active 
young  men,  who  are  used  not  only  to  procure 
intelligence  and  convey  tidings,  but  also  to 
guard  the  rear  on  a  retreat. 

Here  it  will  not  be  unseasonable  to  mention 
some  of  the  customs  in  war  peculiar  to  the 
aborigines,  which  on  the  present  as  well  as 
other  occasions,  they  put  in  practice.  When- 
ever a  retreating,  especially  a  flying  party,  had 
gained  the  summit  of  a  rising  ground,  they  se- 
creted one  or  two  runners  behind  trees,  copses, 
or  bushes,  to  fire  at  the  enemy  on  their  ascend- 
ing the  hill.  This  commonly  occasioned  the 
enemy  to  halt  and  form  for  battle.  In  the  in- 
terim the  runners  used  such  dexterity  as  to  be 
rarely  discovered,  or  if  discovered,  they  vanished 
behind  the  height,  and  rejoined  their  brother 
warriors,  who,  having  thus  stolen  a  distance, 
were  oftentimes  seen  by  their  pursuers  no  more. 
Or  if  the  pursuers  were  too  eager,  they  seldom 
failed  to  atone  for  their  rashness  by  falling  into 
an  ambuscade.  The  Mohawks,  who  were  af- 
terwards much  employed  in  scouts  under  the 
orders  of  Major  Putnam,  and  who  were  per- 
fectly versed  in  all  the  wiles  and  stratagems  of 
their  countrymen,  showed  him  the  mode  of 


32  LIFE.  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

avoiding  the  evils  of  either  alternative.  Tn 
suspicious  thickets,  and  afthe  borders  of  every 
considerable  eminence,  a  momentary  pause  was 
made,  while  they,  in  different  parts,  penetrated 
or  ascended  with  a  cautiousness  that  cannot  be 
easily  described.  They  seemed  all  eye  and 
ear.  When  they  found  no  lurking1  mischief, 
they  would  beckon  with  the  hand,  and  pro- 
nounce the  word  "OwisH,"  with  a  long  labial 
hissing,  the  O  being  almost  quiescent.  This 
was  ever  the  watchword  for  the  main  body  to 
advance. 

Indians  who  went  to  war  together,  and  who, 
for  any  reason,  found  it  necessary  to  separate 
into  different  routes,  always  left  two  or  three 
runners  at  the  place  of  separation,  to  give  timely 
notice  to  either  party  in  case  of  pursuit. 

If  a  warrior  chanced  to  straggle  and  lose 
himself  in  the  woods,  or  be  retarded  by  accident 
or  wound,  the  party  missing  him  would  fre- 
quently, on  their  march,  break  down  a  bush  or 
a  shrub,  and  leave  the  top  pointing  in  the  direc- 
tion they  had  gone,  that  the  straggler,  when  he 
should  behold  it,  might  shape  his  course  ac- 
cordingly. 

We  come  to  the  campaign  when  General 
Abercronibie  took  the  command  at  Fort  Ed- 
ward. That  general  ordered  Major  Putnam, 
with  sixty  men,  to  proceed  by  land  to  South 
Bay,  on  Lake  George,  for  the  purpose  of  making 
discoveries,  and  intercepting  the  enemy's  par- 
ties. The  latter,  in  compliance  with  these  or- 


OP  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  33 

ders,  posted  himself  at  Wood  Creek,  near  its 
entrance  into  South  Bay.  On  this  bank,  which 
forms  a  jutting  precipice  ten  or  twelve  feet 
above  the  water,  he  erected  a  stone  parapet 
thirty  feet  in  length,  and  masked  it  with  young 
pine-trees,  cut  at  a  distance,  and  so  artfully 
planted  as  to  imitate  the  natural  growth. 
Hence  he  sent  back  fifteen  of  his  men,  who  had 
fallen  sick.  Distress  for  want  of  provisions, 
occasioned  by  the  length  of  march,  and  time 
spent  on  this  temporary  fortification,  compelled 
him  to  deviate  from  a  rule  lie  had  established, 
never  to  permit  a  gun  to  be  fired  but  at  an  ene- 
my while  on  a  scout.  He  was  now  obliged  to 
shoot  a  buck,  which  had  jumped  into  the  creek, 
m  order  to  eke  out  their  scanty  subsistence  until 
the  fourth  day  after  the  completion  of  the  works. 
About  ten  o'clock  that  evening,  one  of  the  men 
on  duty  at  the  margin  of  the  bay,  informed  him 
that  a  fleet  of  bark  canoes,  filled  with  men,  was 
steering  towards  the  mouth  of  the  creek.  He 
immediately  called  in  all  his  sentinels,  and  or- 
dered every  man  to  his  post.  A  profound  still- 
ness reigned  in  the  atmosphere,  and  the  full 
moon  shone  with  uncommon  brightness.  The 
creek,  which  the  enemy  entered,  is  about  six 
rods  wide,  and  the  bank  opposite  to  the  parapet 
above  twenty  feet  high.  It  was  intended  to 
permit  the  canoes  in  front  to  pass — they  had 
accordingly  just  passed,  when  a  soldier  acci- 
dentally stnick  his  firelock  against  a  stone. 
The  commanding  officer  in  the  van  canoe  heard 
2* 


34   LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

the  noise,  and  repeated  several  times  the  savage 
watch-word, — OWISH  !  Instantly  the  canoes 
huddled  together,  with  their  centre  precisely  in 
front  of  the  works,  covering  the  creek  for  a 
considerable  distance  above  and  below.  The 
officers  appeared  to  be  in  deep  consultation,  and 
the  fleet  on  the  point  of  returning,  when  Major 
Putnam,  who  had  ordered  his  men  in  the  most 
peremptory  manner  not  to  fire^until  he  should 
set  the  example,  gave  the  signal,  by  discharging 
his  piece.  They  fired.  Nothing  could  exceed 
the  inextricable  confusion  and  apparent  con- 
sternation occasioned  by  this  well-concerted 
attack.  But,  at  last,  the  enemy  rinding,  from 
the  unfrequency  in  the  firing,  that  the  numlxjr 
of  our  men  must  be  small,  resolved  to  land  be- 
low and  surround  them.  Putnam,  apprehen- 
sive of  this  from  the  movement,  sent  Lieutenant 
Robert  Durkee,  with  twelve  men,  about  thirty 
rods  down  the  creek,  who  arrived  in  time  to 
repulse  the  party  which  attempted  to  land. 
Another  small  detachment,  under  Lieutenant 
Parsons,  was  ordered  up  the  creek  to  prevent 
any  similar  attempt.  In  the  mean  time,  Major 
Putnam  kept  up,  through  the  whole  night,  an 
incessant  and  deadly  fire  on  the  main  body  of 
the  enemy,  without  receiving  any  thing  in  re- 
turn but  shot  void  of  effect,  accompanied  with 
dolorous  groans,  miserable  shrieks,  and  dismal 
savage  yells.  After  daybreak,  he  was  advised 
that  one  part  of  the  enemy  had  effected  a  land- 
ing considerably  below,  and  were  rapidly  ad- 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  35 

vancing  to  cut  off  his  retreat.  Apprised  of  the 
great  superiority  still  opposed  to  him,  as  well  as 
of  the  situation  of  his  own  soldiers,  some  of 
whom  were  entirely  destitute  of  ammunition, 
and  the  rest  reduced  to  one  or  two  rounds  each, 
he  commanded  them  to  swing  their  packs.  By 
hastening  the  retreat,  in  good  order,  they  hai 
just  time  to  retire  far  enough  up  the  creek  to 
prevent  being  enclosed.  During  this  long-con- 
tinued action,  in  which  the  Americans  had 
slain  at  least  five  times  their  own  number,  only 
one  Provincial  and  one  Indian  were  wounded 
on  their  side.  These  unfortunate  men  had 
been  sent  off  for  camp  in  the  night,  with  two 
men  to  assist  them,  and  directions  to  proceed 
by  Wood-Creek  as  the  safest,  though  not  the 
shortest  route.  But  having  taken  a  nearer  way, 
they  were  pursued  and  overtaken  by  the  In- 
dians, who,  from  the  blood  on  the  leaves  and 
bushes,  believed  that  they  were  on  the  trail  of 
our  whole  party.  The  wounded,  despairing  of 
mercy,  and  unable  to  fly,  insisted  that  the  well 
soldiers  should  make  their  escape,  which,  on  a 
moment's  deliberation,  they  effected.  The  Pro- 
vincial, whose  thigh  was  broken  by  a  ball,  on 
the  approach  of  the  savages,  fired  his  piece,  and 
killed  three  of  them ;  after  which  he  was 
quickly  hacked  in  pieces.  The  Indian,  how- 
ever, was  saved  alive.  This  man  Major  Put- 
nam saw  afterwards  in  Canada,  where  he  like- 
wise learned  that  his  enemy,  in  the  rencounter  at 
Wood-Creek,  consisted  of  five  hundred  French 
D 


36   LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

and  Indians,  under  the  command  of  the  cele- 
brated partisan  Molang,  and  that  no  party,  since 
the  war,  had  suffered  so  severely,  as  more  than 
one  half  of  those  who  went  out  never  returned. 

Our  brave  little  company,  reduced  to  forty  in 
number,  had  pfoceeded  along  the  bank  of  the 
creek  about  an  hour's  march,  when  Major  Put- 
nam, being  in  front,  was  fired  on  by  a  party  just 
at  hand.  He,  rightly  appreciating  the  advan- 
tage often  obtained  by  assuming  a  bold  counte- 
nance on  a  critical  occasion,  in  a  stentoropho- 
nic  tone,  ordered  his  men  to  rush  on  the  enemy, 
and  promised  that  they  should  soon  give  a  good 
account  of  them.  It  proved  to  be  a  scout  of 
Provincials,  who  conceived  they  were  firing 
upon  the  French  ;  but  the  commanding  officer, 
knowing  Putnam's  voice,  cried  out,  that  they 
were  all  friends.  Upon  this  the  Major  told  him 
abruptly,  that,  "  friends  or  enemies,  they  all  de- 
served to  be  hanged  for  not  killing  more  when 
they  had  so  fair  a  shot."  In  fact,  but  one  man 
was  mortally  wounded.  While  these  things 
were  transacted,  a  faithful  soldier,  whose  am- 
munition had  been  nearly  exhausted,  made  his 
way  to  the  fort,  and  gave  such  information,  that 
General  Lyman  was  detached  with  five  hun- 
dred men  to  cover  the  retreat.  Major  Putnam 
met  them  at  only  twelve  miles  distance  from 
the  fort,  to  which  they  returned  the  next  day. 

In  the  winter  of  1757,  when  Colonel  Havi- 
land  was  commandant  at  Fort  Edward,  the 
barracks  adjoining  to  the  northwest  bastion 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  37 


PUTNAM  SAVES  THE  MAGAZINE.— p.  37. 


took  fire.  They  extended  within  twelve  feet  ot 
the  magazine,  which  contained  three  hundred 
barrels  of  powder.  On  its  first  discovery,  the 
fire  raged  with  great  violence.  The  command- 
ant endeavoured,  in  vain,  by  discharging  some 
pieces  of  heavy  artillery  against  the  supporters 
of  this  flight  of  barracks,  to  level  them  with  the 
ground.  Putnam  arrived  from  the  island  where 
he  was  stationed  at  the  moment  when  the  blaze 
approached  that  end  which  was  contiguous  to 
the  magazine.  Instantly  a  vigorous  attempt  was 
made  to  extinguish  the  conflagration.  A  way 
was  opened  by  a  postern  gate  to  the  river,  and 
the  soldiers  were  employed  in  bringing  water  ; 
which  he,  having  mounted  on  a  ladder  to  the 
eaves  of  the  building,  received  and  threw  on 


38    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

the  flame.  It  conthmed,  notwithstanding  their 
utmost  efforts,  to  gain  on  them.  He  stood,  en- 
veloped in  smoke,  so  near  tlie  sheet- of  lire,  that 
a  pair  of  thick  blanket  mittens  were  hurnt  en- 
tirely from  his  hands  ;  he  was  supplied  with 
another  pair  dipped  in  water.  Colonel  Havi- 
land,  fearing  that  he  would  perish  in  the  flames, 
called  to  him  to  comedown.  But  he  entreated 
that  he  might  be  suffered  to  remain,  since  de- 
struction must  inevitably  ensue  if  tlieir  exer- 
tions should  be  remitted.  The  gallant  com- 
mandant, not  less  astonished  than  charmed  at 
the  boldness  of  his  conduct,  forbade  any  more 
effects  to  be  carried  out  of  the  fort,  animated  the 
men  to  redoubled  diligence,  and  exclaimed,  "  if 
we  must  be  blown  up,  we  will  go  altogether." 
At  last,  when  the  barracks  were  seen  to  be  tum- 
bling, Putnam  descended,  placed  himself  at  the 
interval,  and  continued  from  an  incessant  rota- 
tion of  replenished  buckets  to  pour  water  on  the 
magazine.  The  outside  planks  were  already 
consumed  by  the  proximity  of  the  fire,  and  as 
only  one  thickness  of  timber  intervened,  the 
trepidation  now  became  general  and  extreme. 
Putnam,  still  undaunted,  covered  with  a  cloud 
of  cinders,  and  scorched  with  the  intensity  of 
the  heat,  maintained  his  position  until  the  fire 
subsided,  and  the  danger  was  wholly  over.  He 
had  contended  for  one  hour  and  a  half  with  that 
terrible  element.  His  legs,  his  thighs,  his  arms, 
and  his  face  were  blistered;  and  when  he  pulled 
off  his  second  pair  of  mittens,  the  skin  from  his 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  39 

hands  and  fingers  followed  them.  It  was  a 
month  before  he  recovered.  The  commandant, 
to  whom  his  merits  had  before  endeared  him, 
could  not  stifle  the  emotions  of  gratitude,  due  to 
the  man  who  had  been  so  instrumental  in  pre- 
serving the  magazine,  the  fort,  and  the  garrison. 
The  repulse  before  Ticonderoga  took  place 
in  1758.  General  Abercrombie,  the  British 
commander  in  chief  in  America,  conducted  the 
expedition.  His  army,  which  amounted  to 
nearly  sixteen  thousand  regulars  and  provin- 
cials, was  amply  supplied  with  artillery  and 
military  stores.  This  well-appointed  corps 
passed  over  Lake  George,  and  landed,  without 
opposition,  at  the  point  of  destination.  The 
troops  advanced  in  columns.  Lord  Howe, 
having  Major  Putnam  with  him,  was  in  front 
of  the  centre.  A  body  of  about  five  hundred 
men,  the  advance  or  pickets  of  the  French  ar- 
my, which  had  fled  at  first,  began  to  skirmish 
with  our  left.  "  Putnam,"  said  Lord  Howe, 
"  what  means  that  firing  ?"  "  I  know  not,  but, 
with  your  lordship's  leave,  will  see,"  replied  the 
former.  "  I  will  accompany  you,"  rejoined  the 
gallant  young  nobleman.  In  vain  did  Major 
Putnam  attempt  to  dissuade  him  by  saying— 
"  My  lord,  if  I  am  killed,  the  loss  of  my  life  will 
be  of  little  consequence,  but  the  preservation  of 
yours  is  of  infinite  importance  to  this  army." 
The  only  answer  was,  "  Putnam,  your  life  is  as 
dear  to  you  as  mine  is  to  me ;  I  am  determined 
to  go."  One  hundred  of  the  van,  under  Major 


40    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

Putnam,  filed  off  with  Lord  Howe.  They  soon 
met  the  left  flank  of  the  enemy's  advance,  by 
whose  first  fire  his  lordship  fell. — It  was  a  loss 
indeed ;  and  particularly  felt  in  the  operations 
which  occurred  three  days  afterwards.  His 
manners  and  his  virtues  had  made  him  the  idol 
of  the  army.  From  his  first  arrival  in  America, 
he  had  accommodated  himself*  and  his  regi- 
ment to  the  peculiar  nature  of  the  service.  Ex- 
emplary to  the  officer,  a  friend  to  the  soldier, 
the  model  of  discipline,  he  had  not  failed  to  en- 
counter every  hardship  and  hazard.  Nothing 
could  be  more  calculated  to  inspire  men  with 
the  rash  animation  of  rage,  or  to  temper  it  with 
the  cool  perseverance  of  revenge,  than  the  sight 
of  such  a  hero,  so  beloved,  fallen  in  his  coun- 
try's cause.  It  had  the  effect.  Putnam's  party, 
having  cut  their  way  obliquely  through  the 
enemy's  ranks,  and  having  been  joined  by 
Captain  D'Ell,  with  twenty  men,  together  with 
some  other  small  parties,  charged  them  so  fu- 
riously in  rear,  that  nearly  three  hundred  were 
killed  on  the  spot,  and  one-  hundred  and  forty- 
eight  made  prisoners. 

In  the  mean  time,  from  the  unskilfulness  of 
the  guides,  some  of  our  columns  were  bewil- 
dered. The  left  wing,  seeing  Putnam's  party 
in  their  front,  advancing  over  the  dead  bodies 
towards  them,  commenced  a  brisk  and  heavy 

*  He  cut  his  hair  short,  and  induced  the  regiment  to  follow 
the  example.  He  fashioned  their  clothing  for  the  activity  of 
service,  and  divested  himself  and  them  of  every  article  of  su- 
perfluous baggage. 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  41 

fire,  which  killed  a  sergeant  and  several  pri- 
vates. Nor  could  they,  by  sounds  or  signs,  be 
convinced  of  their  mistake,  until  Major  Put- 
nam, preferring  the  probable  loss  of  his  own 
life  to  the  loss  of  the  lives  of  his  brave  asso- 
ciates, ran  through  the  midst  of  .the  flying  balls, 
and  prevented  the  impending  catastrophe. 

The  tender  feelings  which  Major  Putnam 
possessed,  taught  him  to  respect  an  unfortunate 
foe,  and  to  strive,  by  every  lenient  art  in  his 
power,  to  alleviate  the  miseries  of  war.  For 
this  purpose,  he  remained  on  the  field  until  it 
began  to  grow  dark,  employed  in  collecting 
such  of  the  enemy  as  were  left  wounded,  to  one 
place  ;  he  gave  them  all  the  liquor  and  little 
refreshments  which  he  could  procure ;  he  fur- 
nished to  each  of  them  a  blanket ;  he  put  three 
blankets  under  a  French  sergeant  who  was 
badly  wounded  through  the  body,  and  placed 
him  in  an  easy  posture  by  the  side  of  a  tree : 
the  poor  fellow  could  only  squeeze  his  hand 
with  an  expressive  grasp.  "Ah,"  said  Major 
Putnam,  "  depend  on  it,  my  brave  soldier,  you 
shall  be  brought  to  the  camp  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble, and  the  same  care  shall  be  taken  of  you  as 
if  you  were  my  brother."  The  next  morning 
Major  Rogers  was  sent  to  reconnoitre  the  field, 
and  to  bring  off  the  wounded  prisoners ;  but 
finding  the  wounded  unable  to  help  themselves, 
in  order  to  save  trouble,  he  despatched  every 
one  of  them  to  the  world  of  spirits.  Putnam's 
was  not  the  only  heart  that  bled.  The  Provin- 


cial  and  British  officers,  who  became  acquainted 
with  the  fact,  were  struck  with  inexpressible 
horror. 

Ticonderoga  is  surrounded  on  three  sides  by 
water ;  on  the  fourth,  for  some  distance,  ex- 
tends a  dangerous  morass  ;  the  remainder  was 
then  fortified  with  a  line  eight  feet  high,  and 
planted  with  artillery.  For  one  hundred  yards 
in  front  the  plain  was  covered  with  great  trees, 
cut  for  the  purpose  of  defence,  whose  inter- 
woven and  sharpened  branches  projected  out- 
wards. Notwithstanding  these  impediments, 
the  engineer  who  had  been  employed  to  recon- 
noitre, reported  as  his  opinion,  that  the  works 
might  be  carried  with  musketry.  The  difficulty 
and  delay  of  dragging  the  battering  cannon 
over  grounds  almost  impracticable,  induced  the 
adoption  of  this  fatal  advice,  to  which,  however, 
a  rumour  that  the  garrison,  already  consisting 
of  four  or  five  thousand  men,  was  on  the  point 
of  being  augmented  with  three  thousand  more, 
probably  contributed.  The  attack  was  as  spi- 
rited in  execution  as  ill-judged  in  design.  The 
assailants,  after  having  been  for  more  than  four 
hours  exposed  to  a  most  fatal  fire,  without 
making  any  impression  by  their  reiterated  and 
obstinate  proofs  of  valour,  were  ordered  to  re- 
treat. Major  Putnam,  who  had  acted  as  an  aid 
in  bringing  the  Provincial  regiments  succes- 
sively to  action,  assisted  in  preserving  order. 
It  was  said  that  a  great  number  of  the  enemy 
were  shot  in  the  head,  every  other  part  having 


OF  MAJOR-UENERAL  PUTNAM.  43 

been  concealed  behind  their  works.  The  loss 
on  our  side  was  upwards  of  two  thousand  killed 
and  wounded.  Twenty-five  hundred  stands  of 
arms  were  taken  by  the  French.  Our  army, 
after  sustaining  this  havoc,  retreated  with  such 
extraordinary  precipitation,  that  they  regained 
their  camp  at  the  southward  of  Lake  George 
the  evening  after  the  action. 

The  successes  in  other  parts  of  America 
made  amends  for  this  defeat.  Louisbourg,  after 
a  vigorous  siege,  was  reduced  by  the  Generals 
Amherst  and  Wolfe  :  Frontenac,  a  post  of  im- 
portance on  the  communication  between  Lake 
Ontario  and  the  St.  Lawrence,  surrendered  to 
Colonel  Bradstreet ;  and  Fort  du  Q,uesne,  si- 
tuated at  the  confluence  of  the  Monongahela 
with  the  Ohio,  the  possession  of  which  had 
kindled  the  flame  of  war  that  now  spread 
through  the  four  quarters  of  the  globe,  was 
captured  by  General  Forbes. 

A  few  adventures,  in  which  the  public  inte- 
rests were  little  concerned,  but  which,  from  their 
peculiarity,  appear  worthy  of  being  preserved, 
happened  before  the  conclusion  of  the  year.  As 
one  day  Major  Putnam  chanced  to  lie  with  a 
batteau  and  five  men,  on'  the  eastern  shore  of 
the  Hudson,  near  the  Rapids,  contiguous  to 
which  Fort  Miller  stood,  his  men,  on  the  oppo- 
site bank  had  given  him  to  understand,  that  a 
large  body  of  savages  were  in  his  rear,,  and 
would  be  on  him  in  a  moment.  To  stay  and 
be  sacrificed- — to  attempt  crossing  and  be  shot — 


44    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

or  to  go  down  the  falls,  with  an  almost  absolute 
certainty  of  being  drowned,  were  the  sole  alter- 
natives that  presented  themselves  to  his  choice. 
So  instantaneously  was  the  latter  adopted,  that 
one  man  who  had  rambled  a  little  from  the 
party,  was,  of  necessity,  left,  and  fell  a  misera- 
ble victim  to  savage  barbarity.  The  Indians 
arrived  on  the  shore  soon  enough  to  fire  many 
balls  on  the  battean  before  it  could  be  got  under 
way.  No  sooner  had  our  batteau-men  escaped, 
by  favour  of  the  rapidity  of  the  current,  beyond 
the  reach  of  musket-shot,  than  death  seemed 
only  to  have  been  avoided  in  one  form  to  be 
encountered  in  another  not  less  terrible.  Pro- 
minent rocks,  latent  shelves,  absorbing  eddies, 
and  abrupt  descents,  for  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  af- 
forded scarcely  the  smallest  chance  of  escaping 
without  a  miracle.  Putnam,  trusting  himself 
to  a  good  Providence,  whose  kindness  he  had 
often  experienced,  rather  than  to  men,  whose 
tenderest  mercies  are  cruelty,  was  now  seen  to 
place  himself  sedately  at  the  helm,  and  afford 
an  astonishing  spectacle  of  serenity.  His  com- 
panions, with  a  mixture  of  terror,  admiration 
and  wonder,  saw  him  incessantly  changing  the 
course,  to  avoid  the  jaws  of  ruin,  that  seemed 
expanueci  to  swallow  the  whirling  boat.  Twice 
he  turned  it  fairly  round  to  shun  the  rifts  of 
rocks.  Amidst  these  eddies,  in  which  was  the 
greatest  danger  of  its  foundering,  at  one  moment 
the  sides  were  exposed  to  the  fury  of  the  waves  ; 
then  the  stern,  and  next  the  bow,  glanced  ob- 


.       OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  45 

liquely  onward,  with  inconceivable  velocity. 
With  not  less  amazement  the  savages  beheld 
him  sometimes  mounting  the  billows,  then 
plunging  abruptly  down,  at  other  times  skilfully 
veering  from  the  rocks,  and  shooting  through 
the  only  narrow  passage  ;  until,  at  last,  they 
viewed  the  boat  safely  gliding  on  the  smooth 
surface  of  the  stream  below.  At  this  sight,  it  is 
asserted,  that  these  rude  sons  of  nature  were 
affected  with  the  same  kind  of  superstitious 
veneration  which  the.  Europeans,  in  the  dark 
ages,  entertained  for  some  of  their  most  valorous 
champions.  They  deemed  the  man  invulner- 
able, whom  their  balls,  on  his  pushing  from 
shore,  could  not  touch  ;  and  whom  they  had 
seen  steering  in  safety  down  the  rapids  that  had 
never  before  been  passed.  They  conceived  it 
would  be  an  affront  against  the  Great  Spirit 
to  attempt  to  kill  this  favoured  mortal  with 
powder  and  ball,  if  they  should  ever  see  and 
know  him  again. 

In  the  mojith  of  August  five  hundred  men 
were  employed,  under  the  orders  of  Majors 
Rogers  and  Putnam,  to  watch  the  motions  of 
the  enemy  near  Ticonderoga.  At  South-Bay 
they  separated  the  party  into  two  equal  divi- 
sions, and  Rogers  took  a  position  on  Wood- 
creek,  twelve  miles  distant  from  Putnam. 

Being  some  time  afterwards  discovered,  they 
formed  a  re-union,  and  concerted  measures  for 
returning  to  Fort  Edward.  Their  march 
through  the  woods  was  in  three  divisions  by 


46    LIFE.  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

files :  the  right  commanded  by  Rogers,  the  left 
by  Putnam,  and  the  centre  by  Captain  D'Ell. 
The  first  night  they  encamped  on  the  banks  of 
Clear  river,  about  a  mile  from  old  Fort  Ann, 
which  had  been  formerly  built  by  General  Ni- 
cholson. Next  morning  -Major  Rogers,  and  a 
British  officer,  named  Irwin,  incautiously  suf- 
fered themselves,  from  a  spirit  of  false  emula- 
tion, to  be  engaged  in  firing  at  a  mark.  Nothing 
could  have  been  more  repugnant  to  the  military 
principles  of  Putnam  than  such.conduct,  or  re- 
probated by  him  in  more  pointed  terms.  As 
soon  as  the  heavy  dew  which  had  fallen  the 
oreceding  night  would  permit,  the  detachment 
moved  in  one  body,  Putnam  being  in  front, 
D'Ell  in  centre,  and  Rogers  in  the  rear.  The 
impervious  growth  of  shrubs  and  under-brush 
that  had  sprung  up,  where  the  land  had  been 
partially  cleared  some  years  before,  occasioned 
this  change  in  the  order  of  march.  At  the 
moment  of  moving,  the  famous  French  partisan 
Molang,  who  had  been  sent  with  five  hundred 
men  to  intercept  our  party,  was  not  more  than 
one  mile  and  a  half  distant  from  them.  Having 
heard  the  firing,  he  hastened  to  lay  an  ambus- 
cade precisely  in  that  part  of  the  wood  most 
favourable  to  his  project.  Major  Putnam  was 
just  emerging  from  the  thicket,  into  the  com- 
mon forest,  when  the  enemy  rose,  and  with 
discordant  yells  and  whoops,  commenced  an 
attack  on  the  right  of  his  division.  Surprised, 
but  undismayed,  Putnam  halted,  returned  the 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  47 

fire,  and  passed  the  word  for  the  other  divisions 
to  advance  for  his  support.  D'Ell  came.  The 
action,  though  widely  scattered,  and  principally 
fought  between  man  and  man,  soon  grew  ge- 
neral and  intensely  warm.  It  would  be  as  diffi- 
cult as  useless  to  describe  this  irregular  and 
ferocious  mode  of  fighting.  Rogers  came  not 
up  ;  but,  as  he  declared  afterwards,  formed  a 
circular  file  between  our  party  and  Wood- 
Creek,  to  prevent  their  being  taken  in  rear  or 
enfiladed.  Successful  as  he  commonly  was, 
his  conduct  did  not  always  pass  without  unfa 
vourable  imputation.  Notwithstanding,  it  was 
a  current  saying  in  the  camp,  that  "  Rogers 
always  sent,  but  Putnam  led,  his  men  to  ac- 
tion," yet,  in  justice,  it  ought  to  be  remarked 
here,  that  the  latter  has  never  been  known,  in 
relating  the  story  of  this  day's  disaster,  to  affix 
any  stigma  on  the  conduct  of  the  former. 

Major  Putnam,  perceiving  it  would  be  im- 
practicable to  cross  the  creek,  determined  to 
maintain  his  ground.  Inspired  by  his  example, 
the  officers  and  men  behaved  with  great  brave- 
ry :  sometimes  they  fought  aggregately  in  open 
view,  and  sometimes  individually  under  cover ; 
taking  aim  from  behind  the  bodies  of  trees,  and 
acting  in  a  manner  independent  of  each  other. 
For  himself,  having  discharged  his  fuzee  several 
times,  at  length  it  missed  fire,  while  the  muzzle 
was  pressed  against  the  breast  of  a  large  and 
well  proportioned  savage.  This  warrior,  avail- 
ing himself  of  the  indefensible  attitude  of  his 
E 


48  LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

adversary,  with  a  tremendous  war-whoop, 
sprang  forward,  with  his  lifted  hatchet,  and 
compelled  him  to  surrender ;  and  having  dis- 
armed and  bound  him  fast  to  a  tree,  returned 
to  the  battle. 

The  intrepid  Captains  D'Ell  and  Harman, 
who  now  commanded,  were  forced  to  give 
ground  for  a  little  distance :  the  savages,  con- 
ceiving this  to  be  the  certain  harbinger  of  vic- 
tory, rushed  impetuously  on,  with  dreadful  and 
redoubled  cries.  But  our  two  partisans,  col- 
lecting a  handful  of  brave  men,  gave  the  pur- 
suers so  warm  a  reception  as  to  oblige  them,  in 
turn,  to  retreat  a  little  beyond  the  spot  at  which 
the  action  had  commenced.  Here  they  made 
a  stand.  This  change  of  grohnd  occasioned 
the  tree  to  which  Putnam  was  tied  to  be  di- 
rectly between  the  fire  of  the  two  parties.  Hu- 
man imagination  can  hardly  figure  to  itself  a 
more  deplorable  situation.  The  balls  flew  in- 
»A^>santly  from  either  side,  many  struck  the 
wee,  while  some  passed  through  the  sleeves  and 
skirts  of  his  coat.  In  this  state  of  jeopardy, 
unable  to  move  his  body,  to  stir  his  limbs,  or 
even  to  incline  his  head,  he  remained  more 
than  an  hour.  So  equally  balanced,  and  so 
obstinate  was  the  fight !  At  one  moment, 
while  the  battle  swerved  in  favour  of  the  ene- 
my, a  young  savage  chose  an  odd  way  of  dis- 
covering his  humour.  He  found  Putnam 
bound.  He  might  have  despatched  him  at  a 
blow.  But  he  loved  better  to  excite  the  ter- 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  49 

rors  of  the  prisoner,  by  hurling  a  tomahawk  at 
his  head,  or  rather  it  should  seem  his  object 
was  to  see  how  near  he  could  throw  it  without 
touching  him;  the  weapon  struck  in  the  tree  a 
number  of  times  at  a  hair's  breadth  distance 
from  the  mark.  When  the  Indian  had  finished 
his  amusement,  a  French  bas-officer,  (a  much 
more  inveterate  savage  by  nature,  though  de- 
scended from  so  humane  and  polished  a  nation,) 
perceiving  Putnam,  came  up  to  him,  and,  level- 
ling a  fuzee  within  a  foot  of  his  breast,  at- 
tempted to  discharge  it ;  it  missed  fire.  Inef- 
fectually did  the  intended  victim  solicit  the 
treatment  due  to  his  situation,  by  repeating 
that  he  was  a  prisoner  of  war.  The  degenerate 
Frenchman  did  not  understand  the  language  of 
honour  or  of  nature :  deaf  to  their  voice,  and 
dead  to  sensibility,  he  violently,  and  repeatedly, 
pushed  the  muzzle  of  his  gun  against  Putnam's 
ribs,  and  finally  gave  him  a  cruel  blow  on  the 
jaw  with  the  but-end  of  his  piece.  After  this 
dastardly  deed,  he  left  him. 

At  length  the  active  intrepidity  of  D'Ell  and 
Harman,  seconded  by  the  persevering  valour  of 
their  followers,  prevailed.  They  drove  from 
the  field  the  enemy,  who  left  about  ninety  dead 
behind  them.  As  they  were  retiring,  Putnam 
was  untied  by  the  Indian  who  had  made  him 
prisoner,  and  whom  he  afterwards  called  mas- 
ter. Having  been  conducted  for  some  distance 
from  the  place  of  action,  he  was  stripped  of  his 
coat,  vest,  stockings  and  shoes ;  loaded  with  as 
3 


50   LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

many  of  the  packs  of  the  wounded  as  could  be 
piled  on  him  ;  strongly  pinioned,  and  his  wrists 
tied  as  closely  together  as  they  could  be  pulled 
with  a  cord.  After  he  had  marched,  through 
no  pleasant  paths,  in  this  painful  manner,  for 
many  a  tedious  mile,  the  party,  who  were  ex- 
cessively fatigued,  halted  to  breathe.  His  hands 
were  now  immoderately  swelled  from  the  tight- 
ness of  the  ligature ;  and  the  pain  had  become 
intolerable.  His  feet  were  scf  much  scratched, 
that  the  blood  dropped  fast  from  them.  Ex- 
hausted with  bearing  a  burden  above  his 
strength,  and  frantic  with  torments  exquisite 
beyond  endurance,  he  entreated  the  Irish  inter- 
preter to  implore,  as  the  last  and  only  grace  he 
desired  of  the  savages,  that  they  would  knock 
him  on  the  head,  and  take  his  scalp  at  once,  or 
loosen  his  hands.  A  French  officer,  instantly 
interposing,  ordered  his  hands  to  be  unbound, 
and  some  of  the  packs  to  be  taken  off.  By  this 
time  the  Indian,  who  had  captured  him,  and 
had  been  absent  with  the  wounded,  coming  up, 
gave  him  a  pair  of  moccasins,  and  expressed 
great  indignation  at  the  unworthy  treatment 
his  prisoner  had  suffered. 

That  savage  chief  again  returned  to  the  care 
of  the  wounded,  and  the  Indians,  about  two 
hundred  in  number,  went  before  the  rest  of  the 
party  to  the  place  where  the  whole  were  that 
night  to  encamp.  They  took  with  them  Major 
Putnam,  on  whom,  besides  innumerable  other 
outrages,  they  had  the  barbarity  to  inflict  a 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  51 

deep  wound  with  the  tomahawk  in  the  left  cheek. 
His  sufferings  were  in  this  place  to  be  con- 
summated. A  scene  of  horror,  infinitely  greater 
than  had  ever  met  his  eyes  before,  was  now 
preparing:  It  was  determined  to  roast  him 
alive.  For  this  purpose  they  led  him  into  a 
dark  forest,  stripped  him  naked,  bound  him  to 
a  tree,  and  piled  dry  brush,  with  other  fuel,  at  a 
small  distance,  in  a  circle  round  him.  They 
accompanied  their  labours,  as  if  for  his  fune- 
ral dirge,  with  screams  and  sounds  inimitable 
but  by  savage  voices.  Then  they  set  the  piles 
on  fire.  A  sudden  shower  damped  the  rising 
flame.  Still  they  strove  to  kindle  it,  until,  at 
last,  the  blaze  ran  fiercely  round  the  circle. 
Major  Putnam  soon  began  to  feel  the  scorching 
heat.  His  hands  were  so  tied  that  he  could 
move  his  body.  He  often  shifted  sides  as  the 
fire  approached.  This  sight,  at  the  very  idea 
of  which  all  but  savages  must  shudder,  afforded 
the  highest  diversion  to  his  inhuman  torment- 
ors, who  demonstrated  the  delirium  of  their  joy 
by  correspondent  yells,  dances,  and  gesticula- 
tions. He  saw  clearly  that  his  final  hour  was 
inevitably  come.  He  summoned  all  his  reso- 
lution, and  composed  his  mind,  as  far  as  the 
circumstances  would  admit,  to  bid  an  eternal 
farewell  to  all  he  held  most  dear.  To  quit  the 
world  would  scarcely  have  cost  a  single  pang  ; 
but  for  the  idea  of  home,  but  for  the  remem- 
brance of  domestic  endearments,  of  the  affec- 
tionate partner  of  his  soul,  and  of  their  beloved 


52     LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 


THE    SAVAGES    ATTEMPTING    TO    ROAST    PUT- 
NAM.— p.  52. 

offspring.  His  thought  was  ultimately  fixed  on 
a  happier  state  of  existence,  beyond  the  tor- 
tures he  was  beginning  to  endure.  The  bitter- 
ness of  death,  even  of  that  death  which  is  ac- 
companied with  the  keenest  agonies,  was,  in  a 
manner,  past — nature,  with  a  feeble  struggle, 
was  quitting  its  last  hold  on  sublunary  things — 
when  a  French  officer  rushed  through  the 
crowd,  opened  a  way  by  scattering  the  burning 
brands,  and  unbound  the  victim.  It  was  Mo- 
lang  himself — to  whom  a  savage,  unwilling  to 
see  another  human  sacrifice  immolated,  had 
run  and  communicated  the  tidings.  That 
commandant  spurned  and  severely  reprimanded 
the  barbarians,  whose  nocturnal  powwas  and 


OP  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  53 

hellish  orgies  he  suddenly  ended.  Putnam  did 
not  want  for  feeling  or  gratitude.  The  French 
commander,  fearing  to  trust  him  alone  with 
them,  remained  until  he  could  deliver  him  in 
safety  into  the  hands  of  his  master. 

The  savage  approached  his  prisoner  kindly, 
and  seemed  to  treat  him  with  particular  affec- 
tion. He  offered  him  some  hard  biscuit :  but 
finding  that  he  could  not  chew  them,  on  account 
of  the  blow  he  had  received  from  the  French- 
man, this  more  humane  savage  soaked  some  of 
the  biscuit  in  water,  and  made  him  suck  the 
pulp-like  part.  Determined,  however,  not  to 
lose  his  captive,  he  took  the  moccasins  from  his 
feet,  and  tied  them  to  one  of  his  wrists:  then 
directing  him  to  lie  down  on  his  back  upon  the 
bare  ground,  he  stretched  one  arm  to  its  full 
length,  and  bound  it  fast  to  a  young  tree ;  the 
other  arm  was  extended  and  bound  in  the  same 
manner ;  his  legs  were  stretched  apart  and  fast- 
ened to  two  saplings.  Then  a  number  of  tall,  but 
slender  poles,  were  cut  down,  which,  with  some 
long  bushes,  were  laid  across  his  body  from 
head  to  foot :  on  each  side  lay  as  many  Indians 
as  could  conveniently  find  lodging,  in  order  to 
prevent  the  possibility  of  his  escape.  In  this 
disagreeable  and  painful  posture  he  remained 
until  morning.  During  this  night,  the  longest 
and  most  dreary  conceivable,  our  hero  used  to 
relate  that  he  felt  a  ray  of  cheerfulness  come 
casually  across  his  mind,  and  could  not  even 
refrain  from  smiling  when  he  reflected  on  this 


54    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

ludicrous  group  for  a  painter,  of  which  he  him- 
self was  the  principal  figure. 

The  next  day  he  was  allowed  his  blanket 
and  moccasins,  and  permitted  to  march  without 
carrying  any  pack,  or  receiving  any  insult. 
To  allay  his  extreme  hunger,  a  little  bear's 
meat  was  given,  which  he  sucked  through  his 
teeth.  At  night  the  party  arrived  at  Ticonde- 
roga,  and  the  prisoner  was  placed  under  the 
care  of  a  French  guard.  The  savages,  who 
had  been  prevented  from  glutting  their  diaboli- 
cal thirst  for  blood,  took  other  opportunities  of 
manifesting  their  malevolence  for  the  disap- 
pointment, by  horrid  grimaces  and  angry  ges- 
tures; but  they  were  suffered  no  more  to  offer 
violence  or  personal  indignity  to  him. 

After  having  been  examined  by  the  Marquis 
de  Montcalm,  Major  Putnam  was  conducted  to 
Montreal  by  a  French  officer,  who  treated  him 
with  the  greatest  indulgence  and  humanity. 

At  this  place  were  several  prisoners.  Colonel 
Peter  Schuyler,  remarkable  for  his  philanthro- 
py, generosity,  and  friendship,  was  of  the  num- 
ber. No  sooner  had  he  heard  of  Major  Put- 
nam's arrival,  than  he  went  to  the  interpreter's 
quarters,  and  inquired  whether  he  had  a  Pro 
vincial  major  in  his  custody  ?  He  found  Major 
Putnam  in  a  comfortless  condition,  without 
coat,  waistcoat,  or  hose  ;  the  remnant  of  his 
clothing  miserably  dirty  and  ragged  ;  his  beard 
long  and  squalid  ;  his  legs  torn  by  thorns  and 
briers ;  his  face  gashed  with  wounds  and  swol- 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  55 

len  with  bruises.  Colonel  Schuyler,  irritated 
beyond  all  sufferance  at  such  a  sight,  could 
scarcely  restrain  his  speech  within  limits,  con- 
sistent with  the  prudence  of  a  prisoner  and  the 
meekness  of  a  Christian.  Major  Putnam  was 
immediately  treated  according  to  his  rank, 
clothed  in  a  decent  manner,  and  supplied  with 
money  by  that  liberal  and  sympathetic  patron 
of  the  distressed. 

The  capture  of  Frontenac  by  General  Brad- 
street  afforded  occasion  for  an  exchange  of 
prisoners.  Colonel  Schuyler  was  comprehend- 
ed in  the  cartel.  A  generous  spirit  can  never 
be  satisfied  with  imposing  tasks  for  its  gene- 
rosity to  accomplish.  Apprehensive  if  it  should 
be  known  that  Putnam  was  a  distinguished 
partisan,  his  liberation  might  be  retarded,  and 
knowing  that  there  were  officers  who,  from  the 
length  of  their  captivity,  had  a  claim  of  priori ty 
to  exchange,  he  had,  by  his  happy  address,  in- 
duced the  governor  to  offer,  that  whatever  offi- 
cer he  might  think  proper  to  nominate  should 
be  included  in  the  present  cartel.  With  great 
politeness  in  manner,  but  seeming  indifference 
as  to  object,  he  expressed  his  warmest  acknow- 
ledgments to  the  governor,  and  said,  "  There  is 
an  old  man  here,  who  is  a  Provincial  major, 
and  wishes  to  be  at  home  with  his  wife  and 
children ;  he  can  do  no  good  here  or  any  where 
else  :  I  believe  your  excellency  had  better  keep 
some  of  the  young  men,  who  have  no  wife  or 
children  to  care  for,  and  let  the  old  fellow  go 


56     LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  .AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

home  with  me."  This  justifiable  finesse  had 
the  desired  effect. 

At  the  house  of  Colonel  Schuyler,  Major  Put- 
nam became  acquainted  with  Mrs.  Howe,  a 
widow  lady,  who  had  teen  captured  by  the 
Indians.  She  was  still  beautiful,  though  the 
mother  of  seven  children,  all  cf  whom  were 
also  captives.  Each  of  her  two  husbands  had 
suffered  death  by  the  savages.  A  French  offi- 
cer purchased  her  for  four  hundred  livres.  We 
cannot  here  detail  her  interesting  history,  nor 
the  sufferings  from  which  she  was  ransomed  by 
that  soldier  of  humanity,  Colonel  Schuyler. 
Suffice  to  say,  that  he  not  only  purchased  her 
freedom,  but  gathered  to  her  bosom  the  scat- 
tered children  of  her  love,  and  put  her  under 
the  protection  of  Major  Putnam. 

In  the  long  march  from  captivity,  through  an 
inhospitable  wilderness,  encumbered  with  five 
small  children,  she  suffered  incredible  hard- 
ships. Though  endowed  with  masculine  forti- 
tude, she  was  truly  feminine  in  strength,  and 
must  have  fainted  by  the  way,  had  it  not  been 
for  the  assistance  of  Major  Putnam.  There 
were  a  thousand  good  offices  which  the  help- 
lessness of  her  condition  demanded,  and  which 
the  gentleness  of  his  nature  delighted  to  per- 
form. He  assisted  in  leading  her  little  ones,  and 
in  carrying  them  over  the  swampy  grounds  and 
runs  of  water,  with  which  their  course  was  fre- 
quently intersected.  He  mingled  his  own  mess 
with  that  of  the  widow  and  the  fatherless,  and 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  57 

assisted  them  in  supplying  and  preparing  their 
provisions.  Upon  arriving  within  the  settle- 
ments, they  experienced  a  reciprocal  regret  at 
separation,  and  were  only  consoled  by  the  ex- 
pectation of  soon  mingling  in  the  embraces  of 
their  former  acquaintances  and  dearest  con- 
nexions. 

We  now  arrive  at  the  period  when  the  prow- 
ess of  Britain,  victorious  alike  by  sea  and  by 
land,  in  the  new  arid  in  the  old  world,  had  ele- 
vated that  name  to  the  zenith  of  national  glory. 
The  conquest  of  Quebec  opened  the  way  for 
the  total  reduction  of  Canada.  On  this  side  of 
the  lakes,  Amherst  having  captured  the  posts 
of  Ticonderoga  and  Crown-Point,  applied  him- 
self to  strengthen  the  latter.  Putnam,  who  had 
been  raised  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant-colonel, 
and  present  at  these  operations,  was  employed 
the  remainder  of  this  and  some  part  of  the  suc- 
ceeding season,  in  superintending  the  parties 
which  were  detached  to  procure  timber  and 
other  materials  for  the  fortih' cation. 

In  1760,  General  Amherst,  a  sagacious,  hu- 
mane, and  experienced  commander,  planned 
the  termination  of  the  war  in  Canada,  by  a 
bloodless  conquest.  For  this  purpose,  three 
armies  were  destined  to  co-operate,  by  different 
routes,  against  Montreal,  the  only  remaining 
place  of  strength  the  enemy  held  in  that  coun- 
try. The  corps  formerly  commanded  by  Gene- 
ral Wolfe,  now  by  General  Murray,  was  ordered 
to  ascend  the  river  St.  Lawrence  ;  another,  un- 


58    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

der  Colonel  Haviland,  to  penetrate  by  the  Isle 
Aux  Noix ;  and  the  third,  consisting  of  about 
ten  thousand  men,  commanded  by  General 
Amherst,  after  passing  up  the  Mohawk  river, 
and  taking  its  course  by  the  Lake  Ontario,  was 
to  form  a  junction  by  falling  down  the  St.  Law- 
rence. In  this  progress,  more  than  one  occa- 
sion presented  itself  to  manifest  the  intrepidity 
and  soldiership  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Putnam. 
Two  armed  vessels  obstructed  the  passage,  and 
prevented  the  attack  on  Oswegatchie.  Putnam, 
with  one  thousand  men,  in  fifty  batteaux,  un- 
dertook to  board  them.  This  dauntless  officer, 
ever  sparing  of  the  blood  of  others,  as  prodigal 
of  his  own,  to  accomplish  it  with  the  less  loss, 
put  himself  with  a  chosen  crew,  a  beetle  and 
wedges,  in  the  van,  with  a  design  to  wedge  the 
rudders,  so  that  the  vessels  should  not  be  able 
to  turn  their  broadsides,  or  perform  any  other 
manoeuvre.  All  the  men  in  his  little  fleet  were 
ordered  to  strip  to  their  waistcoats,  and  advance 
at  the  same  time.  He  promised,  if  he  lived,  to 
join  and  show  them  the  way  up  the  sides. 
Animated  by  so  daring  an  example,  they  moved 
Swiftly,  in  profound  stillness,  as  to  certain  vic- 
tory or  death.  The  people  on  board  the  ships, 
beholding  the  good  countenance  with  which 
they  approached,  ran  one  of  the  vessels  on 
shore,  and  struck  the  colours  of  the  other.  Had 
it  not  been  for  the  dastardly  conduct  of  the 
ship's  company  in  the  latter,  who  compelled 
the  captain  to  haul  down  his  ensign,  he  would 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM. 


59 


PUTNAM    AN!)    HIS    MEN    BOARDING    THE 
FRENCH. — p.  59. 

have  given  the  assailants  a  bloody  reception  : 
for  the  vessels  were  well  provided  with  spars, 
nettings,  and  every  customary  instrument  of 
annoyance  as  well  as  defence. 

It  now  remained  to  attack  the  fortress,  which 
stood  on  an  island,  and  seemed  to  have  been 
rendered  inaccessible  by  a  high  abattis  of  black- 
ash,  that  every  where  projected  over  the  water. 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Putnam  proposed  a  mode  of 
attack,  and  offered  his  services  to  carry  it  into 
effect.  The  General  approved  the  proposal. 
Our  partisan,  accordingly,  caused  a  sufficient 
number  of  boats  to  be  fitted  for  the  enterprise. 
The  sides  of  each  boat  were  surrounded  with 
fascines,  musket  proof,  which  covered  the  men 


60    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

completely.  A  wide  plank,  twenty  feet  in 
length,  was  then  fitted  to  every  boat  in  such 
manner,  by  having  an  angular  piece  sawed 
from  one  extremity,  that,  when  fastened  by 
ropes  on  both  sides  of  the  bow,  it  might  be 
raised  or  lowered  at  pleasure.  The  design 
was,  that  the  plank  should  be  held  erect  while 
the  oarsmen  forced  the  bow  with  the  utmost 
exertion  against  the  abattis ;  and  that  after- 
wards being  dropped  on  the  pointed  brush,  it 
should  serve  as  a  bridge  to  assist  the  men  in 
passing  over  them.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Put- 
nam having  made  his  dispositions  to  attempt 
the  escalade  in  many  places  at  the  same  mo- 
ment, advanced  with  his  boats  in  admirable 
order.  The  garrison,  perceiving  these  extraor- 
dinary and  unexpected  machines,  waited  not 
the  assault,  but  capitulated.  Lieutenant-Colo- 
nel Putnam  was  particularly  honoured  by  Ge- 
neral Amherst,  for  his  ingenuity  in  this  inven- 
tion, and  promptitude  in  its  execution.  The 
three  armies  arrived  at  Montreal  within  two 
days  of  each  other ;  and  the  conquest  of  Canada 
became  complete  without  the  loss  of  a  single 
drop  of  blood. 

At  no  great  distance  from  Montreal  stands 
the  savage  village  called  Cochnawaga.  Here 
our  partizan  found  the  Indian  chief  who  had 
formerly  made  him  prisoner.  That  Indian 
was  highly  delighted  to  see  his  old  acquaint- 
ance, whom  he  entertained  in  his  own  well- 
built  stone  house  with  great  friendship  and 


OP  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  61 

hospitality;  while  his  guest  did  not  discover 
less  satisfaction  in  an  opportunity  of  shaking 
the  brave  savage  by  the  hand,  and  proffering 
him  protection  in  this  reverse  of  his  military 
fortunes. 

When  the  belligerant  powers  were  consider- 
ably exhausted,  a  rupture  took  place  between 
Great  Britain  arid  Spain,  in  January,  1762, 
and  an  expedition  was  formed  that  campaign, 
under  Lord  Albemarle,  against  the  Havanna. 
A  body  of  provincials,  composed  of  five  hun- 
dred men  from  the  Jerseys,  eight  hundred  from 
New- York,  and  one  thousand  from  Connecti- 
cut, joined  his  lordship.  General  Lyman,  who 
raised  the  regiment  of  one  thousand  men  in 
Connecticut,  being  the  senior  officer,  command- 
ed the  whole :  of  course,  the  immediate  com- 
mand of  his  regiment  devolved  upon  Lieute- 
nant-Colonel Putnam.  The  fleet  that  carried 
these  troops  sailed  from  New- York,  and  arrived 
safely  on  the  coast  of  Cuba.  There  a  terrible 
storm  arose,  and  the  transport  in  which  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Putnam  had  embarked  with 
five  hundred  men,  was  wrecked  on  a  rift  of 
craggy  rocks.  The  weather  was  so  tempestu- 
ous, and  the  surf,  which  ran  mountain-high, 
dashed  with  such  violence  against  the  ship, 
that  the  most  experienced  seamen  expected  it 
would  soon  part  asunder.  The  rest  of  the  fleet, 
so  far  from  being  able  to  afford  assistance,  with 
difficulty  rode  out  the  gale.  In  this  deplorable 
situation,  as  the  only  expedient  by  which  they 


62    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

could  be  saved,  strict  order  was  maintained, 
and  all  those  people  who  best  understood  the 
use  of  tools,  instantly  employed  in  constructing 
rafts  from  spars,  plank,  and  whatever  other 
materials  could  be  procured.  There  happened 
to  be  on  board  a  large  quantity  of  strong  cords, 
(the  same  that  are  used  in  the  whale  fishery,) 
which,  being  fastened  to  the  rafts,  after  the  first 
had  with  inconceivable  hazard  reached  the 
shore,  were  of  infinite  service  in  preventing  the 
others  from  driving  out  to  sea,  as  also  in  drag- 
ging them  athwart  the  billows  to  the  beach ; 
by  which  means  every  man  was  finally  saved. 
With  the  same  presence  of  mind  to  take  advan- 
tage of  circumstances,  and  the  same  precaution 
to  prevent  confusion  on  similar  occasions,  how 
many  valuable  lives,  prematurely  lost,  might 
have  been  preserved  as  blessings  to  their  fami- 
lies, their  friends,  and  their  country  !  As  soon 
as  all  were  landed,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Putnam 
fortified  his  camp,  that  he  might  not  be  exposed 
to  insult  from  the  inhabitants  of  the  neighbour- 
ing districts,  or  from  those  of  Carthagena,  who 
were  but  twenty-four  miles  distant.  Here  the 
party  remained  unmolested  several  days,  until 
the  storm  had  so  much  abated  as  to  permit  the 
convoy  to  take  them  off.  They  soon  joined 
the  troops  before  theHavanna,  who,  having  been 
several  weeks  in  that  unhealthy  climate,  al- 
ready began  to  grow  extremely  sickly.*  The 

*  Colonel  Haviland,  an  accomplished  officer,  several  times 
mentioned  in  these  memoirs,  who  brought  to  America  a  regi- 


_  OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  63 

opportune  arrival  of  the  provincial  re-enforce- 
ment, in  perfect  health,  contributed  not  a  little 
to  forward  the  works,  and  hasten  the  reduction 
of  that  important  place.  But  the  provincials 
suffered  so  miserably  by  sickness  afterwards, 
that  very  few  ever  returned  to  their  native 
land. 

Though  a  general  peace  among  the  Euro- 
pean powers  was  ratified  in  1763,  yet  the 
savages  on  our  western  frontiers  still  continu- 
ed their  hostilities.  After  they  had  taken  seve- 
ral posts,  General  Bradstreet  was  sent,  in  1764, 
with  an  army,  against  them.  Colonel  Put- 
nam, then,  for  the  first  time,  appointed  to  the 
command  of  a  regiment,  was  on  the  expedi- 
tion, as  was  the  Indian  chief  whom  I  have  se- 
veral times  had  occasion  to  mention  as  his  cap- 
turer,  at  the  head  of  one  hundred  Cochnawaga 
warriors.  Before  General  Bradstreet  reached 
Detroit,  which  the  savages  invested,  Captain 
D'Ell,  the  faithful  friend  and  intrepid  fellow- 
soldier  of  Colonel  Putnam,  had  been  slain  in  a 
desperate  sally.  Having  been  detached  with 
five  hundred  men,  in  1763,  by  General  Am- 
herst,  to  raise  the  siege,  he  found  means  of 
throwing  the  succour  into  the  fort.  But  the 

ment  of  one  thousand  Irish  veterans,  had  but  seventy  men 
remaining  alive  when  he  left  the  Havanna.  Colonel  Havi- 
land,  during  this  siege,  having  once  with  his  regiment  en- 
gaged and  routed  five  hundred  Spaniards,  met  Colonel  Putnam 
on  nis  return,  and  said,  "Putnam,  give  me  a  pinch  of  snuff.'' 
"I  never  carry  any,"  returned  Putnam.  "  I  have  always  just 
such  luck,"  cried  Haviland:  "the  rascally  Soaniarda  have 
•hot  away  my  pocket,  snuff-box  and  all.1' 
E 


64  LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

garrison,  commanded  by  Major  Gladwine,  a 
brave  and  sensible  officer,  had  been  so  much 
weakened,  by  the  lurking  and  insidious  mode 
of  war  practised  by  the  savages,  that  not  a 
man  could  be  spared  to  co-operate  in  an  attack 
on  them.  The  commandant  would  even  have 
dissuaded  Captain  D'Ell  from  the  attempt,  on 
account  of  the  great  disparity  in  numbers ;  but 
the  latter,  relying  on  the  discipline  and  cou- 
rage of  his  men,  replied,  "  God  forbid  that  I 
should  ever  disobey  the  orders  of  my  general," 
and  immediately  disposed  them  for  action.  It 
was  obstinate  and  bloody ;  but  the  vastly  su- 
perior number  of  the  savages  enabled  them  to 
enclose  Captain  D'Ell's  party  on  every  side, 
and  compelled  him  finally,  to  fight  his  way,  in 
retreat,  from  one  stone  house  to  another.  Hav- 
ing halted  to  breathe  a  moment,  he  saw  one  of 
his  bravest  sergeants  lying  at  a  small  distance, 
wounded  through  the  thigh,  and  wallowing  in 
his  blood ;  on  which  hj  desired  some  of  the 
men  to  run  and  bring  the  sergeant  to  the 
house,  but  they  declined  it.  Then  declaring, 
that  he  never  would  leave  so  brave  a  soldier 
in  the  field  to  be  tortured  by  the  savages,  he 
ran  and  endeavoured  to  help  him  up — at  the 
instant,  a  volley  of  shot  dropped  them  both 
dead  together.  The  party  continued  retreat- 
ing from  house  to  house  until  they  regained 
the  fort ;  where  it  was  found  the  conflict  had 
been  so  sharp,  and  lasted  so  long,  that  only  fifty 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  65 

men  remained  alive-  of  the  five  hundred  who 
had  sallied. 

On  the  arrival  of  General  Bradstreet,  the 
savages  saw  that  all  further  efforts  in  arms 
would  be  vain,  and  accordingly,  after  many 
fallacious  proposals  for  a  peace,  and  frequent 
tergiversations  in  the  negotiation,  they  con-, 
eluded  a  treaty,  which  ended  the  war  in  Ame- 
rica. 

Colonel  Putnam,  at  the  expiration  of  ten 
years  from  his  first  receiving  a  commission, 
after  having  seen  as  much  service,  endured  as 
many  hardships,  encountered  as  many  dangers, 
and  acquired  as  many  laurels  as  any  officer  of 
his  rank,  with  great  satisfaction  laid  aside  his 
uniform,  and  returned  to  his  plough.  The  va- 
rious and  uncommon  scenes  of  war  in  which 
he  had  acted  a  respectable  part,  his  intercourse 
with  the  world,  and  intimacy  with  some  of  the 
first  officers  in  -the  army,  joined  with  occasion- 
al reading,  had  not  only  brought  into  view 
whatever  talents  he  possessed  from  nature,  but 
had  extended  his  knowledge,  and  polished  his 
manners,  to  a  considerable  degree. 

On  the  twenty-second  day  of  March,  1765. 
the  stamp  act  received  the  royal  assent.  It 
was  to  take  place  in  America  on  the  first  day 
of  November  following.  This  innovation 
spread  a  sudden  and  universal  alarm.  The 
political  pulse  in  the  provinces,  from  Maine  to 
Georgia,  throbbed  in  sympathy.  The  assem- 
blies, in  most  of  these  colonies,  that  they  might 


66    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

oppose  it  legally  and  in  concert,  appointed  de- 
legates to  confer  together  on  the  subject.  This 
first  congress  met,  early  in  October,  at  New- 
York.  They  agreed  on  a  declaration  of  rights 
and  grievances  of  the  colonists ;  together  with 
separate  addresses  to  the  king,  lords,  and  com- 
mons of  Great  Britain.  In  the  mean  time,  the 
people  had  determined,  in  order  to  prevent  the 
stamped  paper  from  being  distributed,  that  the 
stamp-masters  should  not  enter  on  the  execu- 
tion of  their  office.  That  appointment,  in  Con- 
necticut, had  been  conferred  on  Mr.  Ingersol, 
a  very  dignified,  sensible,  and  learned  native  of 
the  colony,  who,  on  being  solicited  to  resign, 
did  not,  in  the  first  instance,  give  a  satisfactory 
answer.  In  consequence  of  which,  a  great 
number  of  the  substantial  yeomanry,  on  horse- 
back, furnished  with  provisions  for  themselves, 
and  provender  for  their  horses,  assembled  in 
the  eastern  counties,  and  began  their  march 
for  New-Haven,  to  receive  the  resignation  of 
Mr.  Ingersol.  A  junction  with  another  body 
was  to  have  been  formed  in  Branford.  But 
having  learned  at  Hartford,  that  Mr.  Ingersol 
would  be  in  town  the  next  day  to  claim  pro- 
tection from  the  assembly,  they  took  quarters 
there,  and  kept  out  patroles  during  the  whole 
night,  to  prevent  his  arrival  without  their 
knowledge.  The  succeeding  morning  they  re- 
sumed their  march,  and  met  Mr.  Ingersol  in 
Wethersfield.  They  told  him  their  business, 
and  he,  after  some  little  hesitation,  mounted  on 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  67 

a  round  table,  read  his  resignation.*  That 
finished,  the  multitude  desired  him  to  cry  out 
"  liberty  and  property"  three  times ;  which  he 
did,  and  was  answered  by  three  loud  huzzas. 
He  then  dined  with  some  of  the  principal  men 
at  a  tavern,  by  whom  he  was  treated  with  great 
politeness,  and  afterwards  was  escorted  by 
about  five  hundred  horse  to  Hartford,  where 
he  again  read  his  resignation,  amidst  the  un- 
bounded acclamations  of  the  people.  I  have 
chosen  to  style  this  collection  the  yeomanry, 
the  multitude,  or  the  people,  because  I  could 
not  use  the  English  word  mob,  which  general- 
ly signifies  a  disorderly  concurrence  of  the  rab- 
ble, without  conveying  an  erroneous  idea.  It 
is  scarcely  necessary  to  add,  that  the  people, 
their  objects  being'  effected,  without  offering 
disturbance,  dispersed  to  their  homes.t 

*  The  curious  may  be  pleased  to  know  that  the  resignation 
was  expressed  in  these  explicit  terms : 

"  Wethersfidd,  September  9th,  1765. 

"  I  do  hereby  promise,  that  I  never  will  receive  any  stamped 
papers  which  may  arrive  from  Europe,  in  consequence  of  an 
act  lately  passed  in  the  parliament  of  Great  Britain ;  nor  offi- 
ciate as  stamp-master  or  distributor  of  stamps,  within  the 
colony  of  Connecticut,  either  directly  or  indirectly.  And  I  do 
hereby  notify  to  all  the  inhabitants  of  his  majesty's  colony  of 
Connecticut  (notwithstanding  the  said  office  or  trust  lias 
been  committed  to  me  not  to  apply  to  me,  ever  after,  for  any 
stamped  paper;  hereby  declaring  that  I  do  resign  the  said  of- 
fice, and  execute  these  PRESENTS  of  my  own  FREE  WILL  AND 
'ACCORD,  without  any  equivocation  or  mental  reservation. 

"In  witness  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand, 

"J.  INGERSOL." 

t  To  give  a  trait  of  the  urbanity  that  prevailed,  it  may  not 
be  amiss  to  mention  a  .jest  that  passed  in  the  cavalcade  to 
Hartford,  and  was  received  with  the  most  perfect  good  hu- 
mour. Mr.  Ingersol,  who  by  chance  rode  a  white  horse,  be- 
ing asked  "  What  he  thought,  to  find  himself  attended  by  such 


68    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

Colonel  Putnam,  who  instigated  the  people 
to  these  measures,  was  prevented  from  attend- 
ing by  accident.  But  he  was  deputed  soon 
after,  with  two  other  gentlemen,  to  wait  on 
Governor  Fitch  on  the  same  subject.  The 
questions  of  the  governor,  arid  answers  of  Put- 
nam, will  serve  to  indicate  the  spirit  of  the 
times.  After  some  conversation,  the  governor 
asked,  "What  he  should  do  if  the  stamped 
paper  should  be  sent  to  him  by  the  king's  au- 
thority?" Putnam  replied,  "lock  it  up  until 
we  shall  visit  you  again."  "And  what  will 
you  do  then  ?"  "  We  shall  expect  you  to  give 
us  the  key  of  the  room  in  which  it  is  deposit- 
ed ;  and,  if  you  think  fit,  in  order  to  screen 
yourself  from  blame,  you  may  forewarn  us,  on 
our  peril,  not  to  enter  the  room."  "  And  what 
will  you  do  afterwards?"  "  Send  it  safely  back 
again."  "  But  if  I  should  refuse  admission  T 
"  In  such  a  case,  your  house  will  be  levelled 
with  the  dust  in  five  minutes."  It  was  suppos- 
ed, that  a  report  of  this  conversation  was  one 
reason  why  the  stamped  paper  was  never  sent 
from  New- York  to  Connecticut. 

Such  unanimity  in  the  provincial  assemblies, 
and  decision  in  the  yeomanry,  carried  beyond 
the  Atlantic  a  conviction  of  the  inexpediency 
of  attempting  to  enforce  the  new  revenue  sys- 
tem. The  stamp  act  being  repealed,  and  the 

a  retinue?"  replied,  "that  he  had  now  a  clearer  idea  than 
ever  he  had  before  conceived  of  that  passage  in  the  Revela- 
tion, which  describes  death  on  a  pale  horse,  and  hell  follow- 
ing Aim." 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  69 

colonies  in  a  manner  quieted,  Colonel  Put- 
nam continued  to  labour,  afterwards,  at  farm- 
ing, without  interruption,  except,  for  a  little 
time,  by  the  loss  of  the  first  joint  of  his  right 
thumb  from  one  accident,  and  the  compound 
fracture  of  his  right  thigh  from  another :  that 
thigh,  being  rendered  nearly  an  inch  shorter 
than  the  left,  occasioned  him  to  limp  in  his 
walk. 

The  provincial  officers  and  soldiers  from 
Connecticut,  who  survived  the  conquest  of  the 
Havanna,  appointed  General  Lyman  to  re- 
ceive the  remainder  of  their  prize  money,  in 
England.  A  company,  composed  partly  of 
military,  and  partly  of  other  gentlemen,  whose 
object  was  to  obtain  from  the  crown  a  grant  of 
land  on  the  Mississippi,  also  committed  to  him 
the  negotiation  of  their  affairs.  When  several 
years  had  elapsed,  in  applications,  a  grant  of 
land  was  obtained.  In  1770,  General  Lymari, 
with  Colonel  Putnam,  and  two  or  three  others, 
went  to  explore  the  situation.  After  a  tedious 
voyage,  and  a  laborious  passage  up  the  Missis- 
sippi, they  accomplished  their  business. 

General  Lyman  came  back  to  Connecticut 
with  the  explorers,  but  soon  returned  to  the 
Natchez,  there  formed  an  establishment,  and 
laid  his  bones.  Colonel  Putnam  placed  some 
labourers  with  provisions  and  farming  utensils 
on  his  location  ;  but  the  increasing  troubles 
shortly  after  ruined  the  prospect  of  deriving 
any  advantage  from  that  quarter. 


70   LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

It  will  ever  be  acknowledged  by  those  who 
were  best  acquainted  with  facts,  and  it  should 
be  made  known  to  posterity,  that  the  king  of 
England  had  not,  in  his  extensive  dominions, 
subjects  more  loyal,  more  dutiful,  or  more  zea- 
lous for  his  glory,  than  the  Americans ;  and 
that  nothing  short  of  a  melancholy  persuasion, 
that  the  "  measures  which  for  many  years  had 
been  systematically  pursued  by  his  ministers, 
were  calculated  to  subvert  their  constitutions," 
could  have  dissolved  their  powerful  attach- 
ment to  that  kingdom,  which  they  fondly  called 
their  parent  country.  Here,  without  digres- 
sion to  develope  the  cause,  or  describe  the  pro- 
gress, it  may  suffice  to  observe,  the  dispute 
now  verged  precipitately  to  an  awful  crisis. 
Most  considerate  men  foresaw  it  would  termi- 
nate in  blood.  But  rather  than  suffer  the 
chains,  which  they  believed  in  preparation,  to 
be  riveted,  they  nobly  determined  to  sacrifice 
their  lives.  In  vain  did  they  deprecate  the 
infatuation  of  those  transatlantic  counsels 
which  drove  them  to  deeds  of  desperation. 
Convinced  of  the  rectitude  of  their  cause,  and 
doubtful  of  the  issue,  they  felt  the  most  painful 
solicitude  for  the  fate  of  their  country,  on  con- 
templating the  superior  strength  of  the  nation 
with  which  it  was  to  contend.  America,  thin- 
ly inhabited,  under  thirteen  distinct  colonial 
governments,  could  have  little  hope  of  success, 
but  from  the  protection  of  Providence,  and  the 
unconquerable  spirit  of  freedom  which  pervad- 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  71 

ed  the  mass  of  the  people.  It  is  true,  since 
the  peace  she  had  surprisingly  increased  in 
wealth  and  population;  but  the  resources  of 
Britain  almost  exceeded  credibility  or  concep- 
tion. It  is  not  wonderful,  then,  that  some  good 
citizens,  of  weaker  nerves,  recoiled  at  the  pros- 
pect ;  while  others,  who  had  been  officers  in 
the  late  war,  or  who  had  witnessed,  by  travel- 
ling, the  force  of  Britain,  stood  aloof.  All  eyes 
were  now  turned  to  find  the  men  who,  possess- 
ing military  experience,  would  dare,  in  the  ap- 
proaching hour  of  severest  trial,  to  lead  their 
undisciplined  fellow-citizens  to  battle  ;  for 
none  were  so  stupid  as  not  to  comprehend, 
that  want  of  success  would  involve  the  leaders 
in  the  punishment  of  rebellion.  Putnam  was 
among  the  first  and  most  conspicuous  who 
stepped  forth.  Although  the  Americans  had 
been,  by  many  who  wished  their  subjugation, 
indiscreetly  as  indiscriminately  stigmatized  with 
the  imputation  of  cowardice — he  felt — he  knew 
for  himself,  he  was  no  coward ;  and  from  what 
he  had  seen  and  known,  he  believed  that  his 
countrymen,  driven  to  the  extremity  of  defend- 
ing their  rights  by  arms,  would  find  no  diffi- 
culty in  wiping  away  the  ungenerous  asper- 
sion. As  he  happened  to  be  often  at  Boston, 
he  held  many  conversations,  on  these  subjects, 
with  General  Gage,  the  British  commander-in- 
chief,  I/ord  Percy,  Colonel  Sheriff,  Colonel 
Small,  and  many  officers  with  whom  he  had 
formerly  served,  who  were  now  at  the  head- 
G 


72    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

quarters.  Being  often  questioned,  "in  case 
the  dispute  should  proceed  to  hostilities,  what 
part  he  would  really  take  ?"  he  always  an- 
swered, "  with  his  country ;  and  that,  let  what- 
ever might  happen,  he  was  prepared  to  abide 
the  consequence."  Being  interrogated,  "  whe- 
ther he,  who  had  been  a  witness  to  the  prowess 
and  victories  of  the  British  fleets  and  armies, 
did  not  think  them  equal  to  the  conquest  of  a 
country  which  was  not  the  owner  of  a  single 
ship,  regiment,  or  magazine  ?"  he  rejoined,  that 
"  he  could  only  say,  justice  would  be  on  our 
side,  and  the  event  with  Providence :  but  that 
he  had  calculated,  if  it  required  six  years  for 
the  combined  forces  of  England  and  her  colo- 
nies to  conquer  such  a  feeble  country  as  Cana- 
da, it  would,  at  least,  take  a  very  long  time  for 
England  alone  to  overcome  her  own  widely 
extended  colonies,  which  were  much  stronger 
than  Canada :  that  when  men  fought  for  every 
thing  dear,  in  what  they  believed  to  be  the 
most  sacred  of  all  causes,  and  in  their  own  na- 
tive land,  they  would  have  great  advantages 
over  their  enemies,  who  were  not  in  the  same 
situation ;  and  that,  having  taken  into  view  all 
circumstances,  for  his  own  part,  he  fully  be- 
lieved that  America  would  not  be  so  easily 
conquered  by  England  as  those  gentlemen 
seemed  to  expect."  Being  once,  in  particular, 
asked,  "  whether  he  did  not  seriously  believe 
that  a  well  appointed  British  army  of  five  thou- 
sand veterans  could  march  through  the  whole 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  73 

continent  of  America?"  He  replied  briskly, 
"No  doubt,  if  they  behaved  civilly,  and  paid 
well  for  every  thing  they  wanted  ;  but" — after 
a  moment's  pause,  added, — "  if  they  should 
attempt  it  in  a  hostile  manner  (though  the 
American  men  were  out  of  the  question)  the 
women,  with  their  ladles  and  broomsticks,  would 
knock  them  all  on  the  head  before  they  had  tra- 
velled half  way  through."  This  was  the  tenor 
of  these  amicable  interviews  ;  and  thus,  as  it 
commonly  happens  in  disputes  about  future 
events  which  depend  on  opinion,  they  parted 
without  conviction,  no  more  to  meet  in  a  friend- 
ly manner,  until  after  the  appeal  should  have 
been  made  to  Heaven,  and  the  issue  confirmed 
by  the  sword.  In  the  mean  time,  to  provide 
against  the  worst  contingency,  the  militia  in  the 
several  colonies  were  sedulously  trained  ;  and 
those  select  companies,  the  flower  of  our  youth, 
which  were  denominated  minutemen,  agreea- 
bly to  the  indication  of  their  name,  held  them- 
selves in  readiness  to  march  at  a  moment's 
warning. 

At  length  the  fatal  day  arrived,  when  hostili- 
ties commenced.  General  Gage,  in  the  evening 
of  the  18th  of  April,  1775,  detached  from 
Boston  the  grenadiers  and  light  infantry  of  the 
army,  commanded  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Smith, 
to  destroy  some  military  and  other  stores,  de- 
posited by  the  province  at  Concord.  About 
sunrise  the  next  morning,  the  detachment,  on 
marching  into  Lexington,  fired  on  a  company 
4 


74   LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

of  militia,  who  had  just  re-assembled  ;  for 
having  been  alarmed  late  at  night,  with  rep6rts 
that  the  regulars  were  advancing  to  demolish 
the  stores,  they  collected  on  their  parade,  and 
were  dismissed  with  orders  to  re-assemble  at 
beat  of  drum.  It  is  established  by  the  affidavits 
of  more  than  thirty -persons  who  were  present, 
that  the  first  fire,  which  killed  eight  of  the 
militia,  then  beginning  to  disperse,  was  given 
by  the  British  without  provocation.  The  spark 
of  war,  thus  kindled,  ran  with  unexampled 
rapidity,  and  raged  with  unwonted  violence. 
To  repel  the  aggression,  the  people  of  the  border- 
ing towns  spontaneously  rushed  to  arms,  and 
poured  their  scattering  shot  from  every  conve- 
nient station  on  the  regulars,who,aftermarching 
to  Concord,  and  destroying  the  magazine,  would 
have  found  their  retreat  intercepted,  had  they 
not  been  re-enforced  by  Lord  Percy,  with  the 
battalion  companies  of  three  regiments,  and  a 
body  of  marines.  Notwithstanding  the  junc- 
tion, they  were  hard  pushed,  and  pursued  until 
they  could  find  protection  from  their  ships.  Of 
the  British,  two  hundred  and  eighty-three  were 
killed,  wounded,  and  taken.  The  Americans 
had  thirty-nine  killed,  nineteen  wounded,  and 
two  made  prisoners. 

Nothing  could  exceed  the  celerity  with  which 
the  intelligence  flew  every  where,  that  blood 
had  been  shed  by  the  British  troops.  The 
country,  in  motion,  exhibited  but  one  scene  of 
hurry,  preparation,  and  revenge.  Putnam,  who 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  76 


FIRST   INFORMATION   PUTNAM    HAS   OF   THE 
BATTLE  OF  LEXINGTON. p.  75. 

was  ploughing  when  he  heard  the  news,  left 
his  plough  in  the  middle  of  the  field,  unyoked 
his  team,  and  without  waiting  to  change  his 
clothes,  set  off  for  the  theatre  of  action.  But 
finding  the  British  retreated  to  Boston,  and 
invested  by  a  sufficient  force  to  watch  their 
movements,  he  came  back  to  Connecticut,* 
levied  a  regiment,  under  authority  of  the  legis- 

*  General  Putnam  was  absent  only  one  week  from  the  army 
at  Cambridge ;  and  then,  for  the  purpose  of  consultation  witn 
the  Legislature  of  Connecticut,  at  that  time  in  session ;  and  at 
the  particular  request  of  that  body.  Having  assisted,  by  his 
advice,  in  the  organization  of  a  military  force,  for  the  cam- 
paign of  1775,  he  returned  immediately  to  the  army  before 
Boston,  leaving  orders  for  the  troops  to  fol]ow  with  as  little 
delay  as  possible,  after  the  men  could  be  enlisted.  (Editor.) 


76    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  ANU  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

lature,  and  speedily  returned  to  Cambridge.* 
He  was  now  prornoted  to  be  a  Major-General 
on  the  Provincial  staff,  by  his  colony  ;  and,  in 
a  little  time,  confirmed  by  Congress,  in  the  same 
rank,  on  the.  Continental  establishment.  Gene- 
ral Ward,  of  Massachusetts,  by  common  con- 
sent, commanded  the  whole ;  and  the  celebrated 
Dr.  Warren  was  made  a  Major-General. 

Not  long  after  this  period,  the  British  com- 
mander-in-chief  found  the  means  to  convey  a 
proposal,  privately,  to  General  Putnam,  that  if 
he  would  relinquish  the  rebel  party,  he  might 
rely  upon  being  made  a  Major-General  on  the  Bri- 
tish establishment,  and  receiving  a  great  pecu- 
niary compensation  for  his  services.  General 

*  An  article  void  of  foundation,  mentioning  an  interview 
between  General  Gage  and  General  Putnam,  appeared  in  the 
English  gazettes,  in  these  words :  "  General  Gage,  viewing 
the  American  army  with  his  telescope,  saw  General  Putnam 
in  it,  which  surprised  him  ;  and  he  contrived  to  get  a  message 
delivered  to  hint,  that  he  wanted  to  speak  to  him.  Putnam, 
without  any  hesitation,  waited  upon  him.  General  Gage 
showed  him  his  fortifications,  and  advised  him-  to  lay  down 
his  arms.  General  Putnam  replied,  he  could  force  his  fortifi- 
cations in  half  an  hour,  and  advised  General  Gage  to  go  on 
board  the  ships  with  his  troops." 

The  apprehension  of  an  attack  is  adduced  with  much  more 
veri-similitude  in  MTingal,  as  the  reason  why  General  Gage 
would  not  suffer  the  inhabitants  to  go  from  the  town  of  Bos- 
ton, after  he  had  promised  to  grant  permission  : 

"  So  Gage  of  late  agreed,  you  know, 

To  let  the  Boston  people  go ; 

Yet  when  he  saw.  "gainst  troops  that  brav'd  him, 

They  were  the  only  guards  that  sav'd  him, 

Kept  off  that  Satan  of  a  Putnam^ 

Prom  breaking  in  to  maul  and  mutt'n  him, 

He'd  too  much  wit  such  leagues  t'  observe, 

And  shut  them  in  again  to  starve." 

MMngal,  Canto  I. 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  77 

Putnam  spurned  at  the  offer  ;  which,  however, 
he  thought  prudent  at  that  time  to'  conceal 
from  public  notice. 

It  could  scarcely  have  been  expected,  but  by 
those  credulous  patriots  who  were  prone  to 
believe  whatever  they  ardently  desired,  that 
officers  assembled  from  colonies  distinct  in  their 
manners  and  prejudices,  selected  from  laborious 
occupations, to  command  aheterogeneouscrowd 
of  their  equals,  compelled  to  be  soldiers  only 
by  the  spur  of  occasion,  should  long  be  able  to 
preserve  harmony  among  themselves,  and 
subordination  among  their  followers.  As  the 
fact  would  be  a  phenomenon,  the  idea  was 
treated  with  mirth  and  mockery  by  the  friends 
to  the  British  government.  Yet  this  unshaken 
embryo  of  a  military  corps,  composed  of  militia, 
minutemen,  volunteers,  and  levies,  with  a  bur- 
lesque appearance  of  multiformity  in  arms, 
accoutrements,  clothing,  and  conduct,  at  last 
grew  into  a  .regular  army — an  army  which, 
having  vindicated  the  rights  of  human  nature, 
and  established  the  independence  of  a  riew 
empire,  merited  and  obtained  the  glorious  dis- 
tinction of  the  patriot  army — the  patriot  army, 
whose  praises  for  their  fortitude  in  adversity, 
bravery  in  battle,  moderation  in  conquest,  per- 
severance in  supporting  the  cruel  extremities 
of  hunger  and  nakedness,  without  a  murmur  or 
sigh,  as  well  as  for  their  magnanimity  in  retiring 
to  civil  life,  at  the  moment  of  victory,  with  arms 
in  their  hands,  and  without  any  just  compensa- 


78    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

tion  for  their  services,  will  only  cease  to  be  cele- 
brated when  time  shall  exist  no  more. 

Enthusiasm  for  the  cause  of  liberty,  substi- 
tuted in  the  place  of  discipline,  not  only  kept 
these  troops  together,  but  enabled  them  at  once 
to  perform  the  duties  of  a  disciplined  army. 
Though  the  commanding  officers  from  the  four 
colonies  of  New  England  were  in  a  manner 
independent,  they  acted  harmoniously  in  con- 
cert. The  first  attention  had  been  prudently 
directed  towards  forming  some  little  redoubts 
and  intrenchments  ;  for  it  was  well  known  that 
lines,  however  slight  or  untenable,  were  calcu- 
lated to  inspire  raw  soldiers  with  a  confidence 
in  themselves.  The  next  care  was  to  bring 
the  live  stock  from  the  islands  in  Boston  bay 
in  order  to  prevent  the  enemy,  (already  sui 
rounded  by  land,)  from  making  use  of  then, 
for  fresh  provisions.  In  the  latter  end  of  May, 
between  two  and  three  hundred  men  were  sent 
to  drive  off  the  stock  from  Hog  and  Noddle 
islands,  which  are  situated  on  the  north-east 
side  of  Boston  harbour.  Advantage  having 
been  taken  of  the  ebb-tide,  when  the  water  is 
fordable  between  the  main  and  Hog  island,  as 
it  is  between  that  and  Noddle  island,  the  design 
was  effected.  But  a  skirmish  ensued,  in  which 
some  of  the  marines,  who  had  been  stationed 
to  guard  them,  were  killed  ;  and  as  the  firing 
continued  between  the  British  water-craft  and 
our  party,  a  re-enforcement  of  three  hundred 
men,  with  two  pieces  of  artillery,  was  ordered 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  79 

to  join  the  latter.  General  Putnam  took  the 
command,  and  having  gone  down  on  the  beach, 
within  conversing  distance,  and  ineffectually 
ordered  the  people  on  board  an  armed  schooner 
to  strike,  he  plied  her  with  shot  so  furiously, 
that  the  crew  made  their  escape,  and  the  vessel 
was  burnt.  An  armed  sloop  was  likewise  so 
miich  disabled  as  to  be  towed  off  by  the  boats 
of  the  fleet.  Thus  ended  this  affair,  in  which 
several  hundred  sheep,  and  some  cattle,  were 
removed  from  under  the  muzzles  of  the  enemy's 
cannon,  and  our  men,  accustomed  to  stand  fire, 
by  being  for  many  hours  exposed  to  it,  without 
meeting  with  any  loss. 

The  provincial  Generals,  having  received 
advice  that  the  British  commander-in-chief  de- 
signed to  take  possession  of  the  heights  on  the 
peninsula  at  Charlestown,  detached  a  thousand 
men  in  the  night  of  the  16th  of  June,  under 
the  orders  of  General  Warren,  to  intrench 
themselves  on  one  of  these  eminences,  named 
Bunker  Hill.  Though  retarded  by  accidents 
from  beginning  the  work  until  nearly  mid- 
night, yet,  by  dawn  of  day,  they  had  construct- 
ed a  redoubt  about  eight  rods  square,  and  com- 
menced a  breast-work  from  the  left  to  the  low 
grounds;  which  an  insufferable  fire  from  the 
shipping,  floating  batteries,  and  cannon  on 
Copp's  Hill,  in  Boston,  prevented  them  from 
completing.  At  mid-day,  four  battalions  of  foot, 
ten  companies  of  grenadiers,  ten  companies  of 
light  infantry,  with  a  proportion  of  artillery, 
P 


80   LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

commanded  by  Major-General  Howe,  landed 
under  a  heavy  cannonade  from  the  ships,  and 
advanced  in  three  lines  to  the  attack.  The 
light  infantry  being  formed  on  the  right,  was 
directed  to  turn  the  left  flank  of  the  Americans ; 
and  the  grenadiers,  supported  by  two  battalions, 
to  storm  the  redoubt  in  front.  Meanwhile,  on 
application,  these  troops  were  augmented  by 
the  47th  regiment,  the  1st  battalion  of  marines, 
together  with  some  companies  of  light  infantry 
and  grenadiers,  which  formed  an  aggregate 
force  of  between  two  and  three  thousand  men.* 
But  so  difficult  was  it  to  re-enforce  the  Ameri- 
cans, by  sending  detachments  across  the  Neck, 
which  was  raked  by  the  cannon  of  the  shipping, 
that  not  more  than  fifteen  hundred  men  were 
brought  into  action.  Few  instances  can  be 
produced  in  the  annals  of  mankind,  where 
soldiers,  who  never  had  before  faced  an  enemy, 
or  heard  the  whistling  of  a  ball,  behaved  with 
such  deliberate  and  persevering  valour. 

General  Putnam  rode  through  the  line,  and 
ordered  that  no  one  should  fire  till  they  arrived 
within  eight  rods,  nor  any  one  till  command- 
ed. "Powder  was  scarce  and  must  not  be 
wasted.  They  should  not  fire  at  the  enemy 
till  they  saw  the  white  of  their  eyes,  and  then 

*  The  preceding  paragraph  was  copied  from  a  British  Re- 
gister, being  the  English  account  of  the  troops  sent  to  the 
attack  of  Bunker  Hill,  and  the  disposition  of  those  troops. 
This  account,  and  others,  published  at  the  time,  and  ascribing 
the  command  of  the  American  force  to  Warren,  probably 
occasioned  the  historical  error  on  that  subject.  (Editor.) 


OP  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  81 

fire  low,  take  aim  at  their  waistbands.  They 
were  all  marksmen,  and  could  kill  a  squirrel  at 
a  hundred  yards  ;  reserve  their  fire,  and  the 
enemy  were  all  destroyed.  Aim  at  the  hand- 
some coats,  pick  off  the  commanders."  The 
same  orders  were  reiterated  by  Prescott  at  the 
redoubt,  by  Pomeroy,  Stark,  and  all  the  vete- 
ran officers. 

The  enemy  were  within  gunshot  of  the  re- 
doubt ;  a  few  of  the  sharp  shooters  could  not 
resist  the  temptation  and  fired.  Prescott  was 
indignant  at  this  contempt  of  his  orders  ;  wav- 
ing his  sword,  he  swore  instant  death  against 
the  first  who  disobeyed  again,  appealed  to 
their  well  known  confidence  in  him,  and  pro- 
mised to  give  them  orders  at  the  proper  mo- 
ment. 

The  enemy  were  at  eight  rods  distance,  the 
deadly  muskets  were  levelled,  when  Prescott 
commanded  his  men  to  take  good  aim,  be  sure 
of  their  mark,  and  fire.  He  was  effectually 
obeyed.  The  whole  front  rank  was  swept 
away,  and  many  a  gallant  officer  laid  low. 
They  were,  however,  countrymen  of  those 
who  gave  the  fire,  and  received  it  with  the 
same  cool  courage  with  which  it  was  given. 
Rank  succeeded  rank,  and  returned  the  fire, 
but  the  odds  was  fearful ;  the  Americans  were 
well  protected  by  the  works  ;  the  efforts  and 
courage  of  the  enemy  were  in  vain,  and  with 
surly  reluctance  they  were  compelled  to  re- 
treat. 

4* 


82    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

Warren  animated  and  encouraged  the  men, 
and  with  the  rest  of  the  officers,  set  them  an 
example  with  his  musket ;  there  was  scarcely 
an  officer  of  any  grade,  except  Putnam  and 
Prescott,  without  one. 

Perfect  as  was  the  fire  of  the  American  in- 
fantry, their  artillery  was  as  grossly  defective 
in  every  respect.  This  arm  requires  science, 
experience,  and  knowledge  of  position.  But 
the  artillery  companies  were  just  selected  from 
the  infantry,  and  entirely  ignorant  of  their  du- 
ty. Callender  carried  his  pieces  into  action, 
but  his  cartridges  required  adjusting.  Totally 
in  violation  of  military  discipline,  he  left  his 
post  without  orders,  and  was  retiring  to  a  se- 
cure place  under  cover  of  the  hill,  to  prepare 
for  firing.  Putnam  observed  this  appearance 
of  retreat,  and  was  fired  with  indignation ;  he 
ordered  him  instantly  .to  his  post ;  Callender 
remonstrated,  but  Putnam  threatened  him  with 
instant  death,  if  he  hesitated,  and  forced  him 
back.  His  men,  however,  were  disgusted  with 
a  part  of  the  service  they  did  not  understand, 
most  of  them  had  muskets  and  mingled  in  the 
fight ;  the  pieces  were  entirely  deserted,  and 
the  captain  relinquished  them. 

The  British  had  neglected  the  only  manoeu- 
vre  which  would  have  defeated  the  enemy,  to 
mount  the  works  and  charge  with  the  bayonet. 
The  Americans  had  scarcely  a  bayonet  to  a  com- 
pany, and  it  must  have  succeeded.  Under  co- 
ver of  the  hill  they  prepared  for  another  onset. 


t        OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  83 

Their  fellow  soldiers  on  the  right  arrived 
about  the  time  of  this  attack  on  the  redoubt  to 
within  about  one  hundred  yards  of  the  Ameri- 
cans. They  were  throwing  down  a  fence, 
when  a  few  marksmen  fired  on  them.  Put- 
nam was  enraged  at  this  disobedience  of  an 
order  on  which  the  salvation  of  the  army  de- 
pended ;  he  rode  to  the  spot,  his  sword  whist- 
ling through  the  air ;  in  his  indignation,  he 
threatened  to  cut  down  the  first  who  dared  to 
fire  again  without  orders.  The  discharge 
from  these  few  muskets,  however,  drew  the 
fire  from  the  enemy's  line,  which  continued 
moving  on,  and  when  about  eight  rods  from 
the  fence,  the  fatal  order  was  given ;  the  fire 
•  of  the  Americans  mowed  them  down  with  the 
same  tremendous  severity,  as  at  the  redoubt. 
The  officers  especially  fell  victims  to  their 
deadly  aim. 

During  this  tremendous  fire  of  musketry 
and  roar  of  cannon,  M'Clary's  stentorian,  voice 
was  distinctly  heard,  animating  and  encourag- 
ing the  men,  as  though  he  would  inspire  every 
ball  that  sped  with  his  own  fire  and  energy. 

The  British  fired  their  heaviest  vollies  of 
musketry  with  admirable  coolness  and  regu- 
larity, but  without  aim,  at  the  Americans,  and 
almost  every  ball  passed  harmless  over  them. 
Their  artillery  had  been  stopped  by  the  brick 
kilns  in  the  low  ground,  and  produced  little 
effect.  This  wing  of  the  army  having  cover- 
ed the  ground  with  their  dead,  were  at  length 
H 


84    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

compelled  likewise  to  retreat ;  and  the  huzza 
of  victory  re-echoed  through  the  American 
line. 

General  Ward  had  by  this  time  despatched 
sufficient  re-enforcements,  but  they  did  not  reach 
the  field.  The  fire  across  the  Neck  wore  an 
aspect  too  terrific  for  raw  troops  to  venture 
through  it.  Putnam  flew  to  the  spot  to  over- 
come their  fears  and  hurry  them  on  before  the 
enemy  returned.  He  entreated,  threatened, 
and  encourajjred  them ;  lashing  his  horse  with 
the  flat  of  his  sword,  he  rode  backward  and 
forward  across  the  Neck,  through  the  hottest 
fire,  to  convince  them  there  was  no  danger. 
The  balls  however  threw  up  clouds  of  dust 
about  him,  and  the  soldiers  were  perfectly  con- 
vinced that  he  was  invulnerable,  but  not  equal- 
ly conscious  of  being  so  themselves.*  ,  Some  of 
these  troops,  however,  ventured  over. 

The  battalion  of  artillery  under  Major  Grid- 
ley  had  proceeded  but  a  few  hundred  rods 
down  the  road  to  Charlestown,  when  they  were 
halted,  and  this  officer  determined  not  to  pro- 
ceed to  the  hill,  but  wait  and  cover  the  retreat, 
which  he  considered  inevitable.  He  was 
young  and  inexperienced,  and  totally  inade- 
quate to  the  important  command  which  had 
been  conferred  on  him  in  compliment  to  his  fa- 
ther, Colonel  Gridley.  He  was  confounded 
with  the  dangers  and  difficulties  of  his  situa- 

*  The  principal  fact  here  is  proved  by  the  deposition  of  Mr. 
Samuel  Bassett ;  the  other  circumstances  by  oral  testimony. 


OP  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  85 

tion,  and  never  recovered  his  self-possession 
during  the  day. 

While  the  artillery  was  halted  in  this  situa- 
tion, Colonel  James  Frye,  (who  was  absent 
from  his  regiment  on  duty  the  day  before,  but 
the  battle  approaching,  had  found  his  way  to 
the  field,)  riding  from  Charlestown,  galloped  up 
to  them,  and  demanded  of  the  senior  captain,* 
"  why  this  unseasonable  halt !"  He  was  aston- 
ished at  the  reply,  and  ordered  them  instantly 
to  the  field.  This  veteran  also  animated  their 
courage  by  the  glorious  recollection  "  this  day 
"  thirty  years  since,  I  was  at  the  taking  of  Lou- 
"  isbourg  when  it  was  surrendered  to  us  ;  it  is 
"  a  fortunate  day  for  America,  we  shall  certain- 
"  ly  beat  the  enemy." 

The  artillery  proceeded.  Gridley  joined 
them ;  but  his  aversion  to  joining  in  the  en- 
gagement was  invincible,  and  he  ordered  them 
on .  to  Cobble  Hill,  to  fire  at  the  Glasgow  and 
floating  batteries.  The  order  was  so  palpably 
absurd,  with  fheir  three  pounders,  that  Captain 
Trevett  absolutely  refused  obedience,  ordered 
his  men  to  follow  him,  and  marched  for  the 
lines. 

Major  Gri'dley  was  sensible  his  artillery  would 
be  hazarded  without  infantry  to  cover  them. 
Colonel  Mansfield  had  been  ordered  with  his 
regiment  to  re-enforce  the  troops  at  Charles 
town,  but  being  peremptorily  commanded  by 

*He  was  living  in  1812,  and  from  whom  we  have  this  an- 
ecdote. 


86    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

Major  Gridley,  whom  he  considered  high  mili- 
tary authority,  to  cover  his  pieces,  he  complied, 
in  violation  of  his  orders. 

General  Putnam  left  the  Neck  for  Bunker 
Hill  to  bring  up  the  re-enforcements.  He  there 
found  Colonel  Gerrish  with  his  regiment  and 
some  other  scattered  troops.  The  colonel  had 
been  a  captain  in  the  provincial  army  of  1756; 
he  was  of  unwieldy  corpulence,  and  a  dispo- 
sition by  far  too  quiet  for  a  soldier's.  He  had 
marched  his  men  rapidly  from  Cambridge,  and 
unwisely  halted  them  here  to  rest.  The  blazing 
sun  and  tremendous  fire  of  the  enemy  combined 
were  far  too  powerful  for  the  faintness  of  his 
military  ardour  to  overcome.  The  men  were 
disorganized  and  dispersed  on  the  west  side  of 
the  hill,  and  covered  by  the  summit  from  the 
fire.  Putnam  ordered  them  on  to  the  lines ;  he 
entreated  and  threatened  them,  and  some  of 
the  most  cowardly  he  knocked  down  with  his 
sword,  but  all  in  vain.  The  men  complained 
they  had  not  their  officers  ;  he  offered  to  lead 
them  on  himself,  but  the  "  cannon  were  desert- 
ed, and  they  stood  no  chance  without  them." 
The  battle  indeed  appeared  here  in  all  its  hor- 
rors. The  British  musketry  fired  high,  and 
took  effect  on  this  elevated  hill,  and  it  was  com- 
pletely exposed  to  the  combined  fire  from  their 
ships,  batteries,  and  field  pieces. 

The  enemy  were  by  this  time  organized 
anew,  and  were  again  advancing  to  the  attack. 
Putnam's  duty  called  him  to  the  lines.  At  this 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  87 

time  Captain  Ford  appeared  with  his  company. 
He  served  in  a  regiment  under  the  veteran 
Lifeutenant-Colonel  Parker  and  Major  Brooks. 
Of  them  he  had  learned  the  duties  of  a  soldier. 
He  had  already  signalized  himself  at  Lexington 
battle,  by  killing  five  of  the  enemy.  His  orders 
were  to  proceed  to  the  lines  and  re-enforce  the 
troops;  he  obeyed,  marched  unconcerned  across 
the  Neck,  and  was  proceeding  down  Bunker 
Hill,  when  Putnam  was  delighted  with  an  aid 
so  opportune.  Callender's  deserted  cannon 
were  at  the  foot  of  the  hill ;  he  ordered  Captain 
Ford  with  his  company  to  draw  them  into  line. 
The  captain  remonstrated  "  his  company  were 
totally  ignorant  of  the  discipline  and  employ- 
ment of  artillery."  But  the  general  perempto- 
rily persisting  in  his  order,  he  obeyed ;  his 
company  moved  with  the  cannon  and  the  gene- 
ral to  the  rail  fence. 

The  heroic  enemy  with  unwavering  step  and 
firm  undaunted  bravery  appeared  again  before 
the  murderous  lines  which  had  already  com- 
pelled them  to  retreat.  They  had  nearly  the 
same  obstacles  to  overcome  as  before.  Their 
cumbrous  knapsacks,  tall  and  almost  impassa- 
ble grass,  and  a  torrid  sun  blazing  in  face  of 
them,  they  had  to  contend  against,  as  well  as  an 
enemy  every  way  worthy  of  them.  One  new 
obstacle  they  had  to  pass,  the  dead  bodies  of 
their  fellow  soldiers  which  covered  the  ground. 
But  this  served  rather  to  stimulate  them  to  still 
more  daring  efforts  to  avenge  their  fall.  The 


88    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

last  of  the  re-enforcements,  a  few  companies  ol 
marines,  arrived  on  the  left. 

The  Americans  were  now  more  confident 
and  perfect  than  before  in  a  manoeuvre  which 
had  been  crowned  with  success.  It  was  indeed 
perfectly  simple,  but  equally  fatal  to  the  foe. 
They  received  orders  to  reserve  their  fire  till 
the  enemy  approached  still  nearer  than  before. 
At  six  rods  only  they  were  permitted  to  return 
the  fire.  The  British  artillery  approached  by 
the  narrow  road  between  the  tongue  of  land 
and  Breed's  Hill,  within  three  hundred  yards 
of  the  rail  fence,  and  almost  in  a  line  with  the 
redoubt,  and  opened  on  the  lines  to  prepare  a 
way  for  their  infantry.  The  latter  commenced 
a  regular  and  tremendous  volley  by  platoons, 
and  their  fire  soon  became  general.  But  un- 
fortunately for  them,  though  perfect  in  drill  dis- 
cipline, and  regular  movements  of  parade,  they 
were  as  grossly  unskilful  in  what  was  a  thou- 
sand times  more  important,  a  knowledge  of 
their  weapons.  Their  aim  was  too  elevated, 
and  the  enemy  were  hidden  behind  their  works. 
Some  of  their  balls,  however,  took  effect,  and  a 
few  of  the  privates  fell  victims.  The  brave 
Major  Moore  was  mortally  wounded.  Major 
Buckminster  received  a  ball  through  the  shoul- 
der, and  was  crippled  for  life. 

To  add  new  horrors  to  the  scene,  vast  co- 
lumns of  smoke  were  now  observed  over 
Charlestown,  and  passed  to  the  south  over  the 
American  lines.  General  Howe,  on  his  first 


OP  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  89 

advance,  had  sent  word  to  General  Burgoyne 
and  General  Clinton,  on  Copp's  Hill,  that  his  left 
flank  was  annoyed  by  musketry  from  Charles- 
town,  and  ordered  them  to  burn  it  down.  A 
carcass  was  fired,  but  fell  short  near  the  ferry 
way ;  a  second  fell  in  the  street,  and  the  town 
was  on  fire.  The  conflagration  was  completed 
by  a  detachment  of  men  who  landed  from  the 
Somerset.  The  whole  town  was  combustible. 
The  flames  ascended  to  heaven  on  the  lofty 
spire  of  the  church,  and  resembled  the  eruptions 
of  a  vast  volcano  in  solemn  grandeur  and  sub- 
limity. The  advance  of  the  enemy  was  not 
obscured  by  the  smoke  from  Charlestown ;  they 
were  in  full  view  of  the  Americans.  Putnam 
now,  with  the  assistance  of  Captain  Ford's 
company,  opened  his  artillery  on  them.  He 
had  on  this  day  performed  the  service  of  gene- 
ral, engineer,  and  guide,  and  he  now  turned 
cannonier,  with  splendid  success,  and  to  the 
highest  satisfaction  of  his  surrounding  country- 
men. Each  company  of  artillery  had  but  twelve 
cartridges,  and  these  were  soon  expended.  He 
pointed  the  cannon,  the  balls  took  effect  on  the 
enemy,  and  one  case  of  canister  made  a  lane 
through  them.  As  in  Milton's  battle, 

"  Foul  dissipation  followed  and  forced  rout." 

With  wonderful  courage,  however,  the  enemy 
closed  his  ranks,  and  the  fire  became  general 
on  both  sides.  The  Americans  suffered  the 
enemy  to  approach  still  nearer  than  before; 


90   LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

men  and  officers  fell  in  promiscuous  heaps ; 
whole  front  ranks  of  them  were  swept  away. 

General  Ward  was  without  staff  officers  to 
bear  his  commands,  excepting  one  aid,  and  a 
secretary,  who  performed  the  duty.  During  the 
whole  day  these  were  mounted  and  on  full 
speed  between  Breed's  Hill  and  head  quarters. 
Loss  and  neglect  of  orders  were  the  inevitable 
consequence.  Colonel  Gardner's  regiment  and 
others  who  had  been  posted  between  Cambridge 
and  Charlestown,  to  wait  further  orders,  were 
overlooked.  The  battle  was  raging,  and  no 
orders  arrived.  The  colonel  was  a  gentleman 
of  rank,  had  been  a  member  of  the  legislature, 
and  commanded  a  regiment  of  militia,  which, 
marching  to  Lexington  to  join  in  the  engage- 
ment there,  suddenly  opened  on  the  British 
artillery ;  being  entirely  void  of  cover  they  dis- 
persed. His  gallant  soul  felt  their  conduct  as  a 
stigma  on  himself,  and  he  resolved  on  the  ear- 
liest opportunity  to  wipe  the  spot  from  his  es- 
cutcheon. A  glorious  occasion  was  before 
him,  and  he  panted  to  embrace  it — to  reap  the 
honours  of  victory,  or  death  and  lasting  fame. 
The  latter  fate  was  decreed  him.  He  called  to 
him  his  officers,  and  offered  to  lead  them  -into 
battle ;  most  of  them,  with  three  hundred  of  his 
men,  followed  him.  He  led  them  over  Bunker 
Hill,  viewed  with  unconcern  the  battle  scene 
on  the  hill  before  him,  terrible  as  Mount  Sinai, 
and  with  glorious  anticipations,  was  descending 
to  the  engagement,  when  a  musket  ball  entered 


OP  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  91 

his  groin,  and  the  wound  proved  mortal.  He 
gave  his  men  his  last  solemn  injunction,  to  con- 
quer or  die,  and  was  carried  off  the  field.  He 
soon  met  Captain  Trevett  advancing  with  his 
artillery,  and  an  interesting  and  heroic  inter- 
view ensued  between  the  colonel  and  Captain 
Trevett's  second  lieutenant,  Gardner,  his  son, 
a  mere  youth  of  nineteen.  The  son  was  in 
agony  at  the  desperate  situation  of  his  father, 
and  would  have  attended  him  off  the  ground. 
But  the  colonel  prohibited  this.  "  He  should 
not  be  alarmed  at  his  situation,  he  was  engaged 
in  a  good  cause,  and  must  march  on  and  do 
his  duty."  The  distracted  son  obeyed,  and 
his  dying  father  had  the  consolation  to  learn 
that  his  last  injunction  and  glorious  example 
were  not  lost ;  and  that  his  son  was  worthy  of 
him. 

These  re-enforcements,  with  Captain  Clark 
and  Captains  Chester  and  Coit,  who  soon  fol- 
lowed with  their  companies,  supplied  the  places 
of  those  who  had  expended  their  ammunition 
and  left  the  ground,  and  of  the  detachment  sent 
off  with  the  intrenching  tools,  who,  in  contempt 
of  their  orders,  never  returned. 

The  British  had  a  long  time  borne  the  mur- 
derous fire  of  the  enemy,  but  their  astonishing 
fortitude  and  daring  efforts  were  useless  against 
the  insuperable  difficulties  they  encountered. 
Nearly  a  thousand  of  their  number  had  fallen, 
with  an  incredible  proportion  of  the  bravest  of- 
ficers. The  distinguished  Colonels  Abercombie 


92  LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

and  Williams,  and  Major  Spendlove,  had  pur- 
chased fame  with  their  lives. 

The  gallant  Major  Small  was  left  standing 
alone,  every  one  shot  down  about  him.  The 
never  erring  muskets  were  levelled  at  him,  and 
a  soldier's  late  was  his  inevitable  destiny,  had 
not  Putnam  at  the  instant  appeared.  Each 
recognized  in  the  other  an  old  friend  and  fellow 
soldier;  the  tie  was  sacred  •  Putnam  threw  up 
the  deadly  muskets  with  his  sword,  and  ar- 
rested his  fate.  He  begged  his  men  to  spare 
that  officer,  as  dear  to  him  as  a  brother.  The 
general's  humane  and  chivalrous  generosity 
excited  in  them  new  admiration,  and  his  friend 
retired  unhurt. 

"  The  undaunted  Howe  still  led  on  his  men  in 
the  hottest  of  the  battle.  His  friend  and  volun- 
teer aid,  Gordon,  and  Captain  Addison,  a  de- 
scendant from  the  author  of  the  Spectator,  were 
slain,  and  almost  every  other  officer  of  his  staff, 
or  near  him,  was  shot.  Mortified  and  indignant 
at  so  much  blood  wasted  in  vain,  he  seemed  to 
court  an  honourable  death  to  hide  him  from  the 
disgrace  of  a  second  defeat  by  an  enemy  he 
despised  as  peasants  and  rebels.  His  life 
seemed  charmed,  and  he  was  compelled  to  fol- 
low his  army,  who  again  retreated,  and  left  their 
enemy  to  taste,  a  second  time,  the  joys  of  vic- 
tory. 

The  exultation  of  the  Americans  was  glorious 
and  well  deserved,  but  it  was,  alas,  short-lived. 
They  had  leisure  to  realize  the  entire  hopeless- 


OP  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  93 

ness  of  their  situation.  Their  ammunition  was 
expended,  and  they  were  as  destitute  of  every 
offensive  weapon  as  the  naked  savages,  their 
predecessors.  Prescott  found  a  few  artillery 
cartridges,  which  he  distributed  to  his  men,  and 
they  determined  to  show  a  resolute  front  to  the 
enemy,  to  club  their  muskets,  and  even  employ 
the  stones  thrown  up  with  the  parapet  against 
them.  Their  only  hope,  however,  was  from  a 
want  of  fortitude  in  the  enemy,  and  that  they 
had  twice  this  day  proved  was  slender  indeed. 

General  Howe  gave  his  men  orders  to  pre- 
pare again  to  advance.  Some  of  the  officers 
remonstrated,  that  it  would  be  mere  butchery  to 
lead  them  on  again ;  but  the  generals,  and  nearly 
every  officer,  were  indignant  at  a  distant  sus- 
picion of  their  yielding  the  victory  to  these 
rebels,  an  undisciplined  rabble,  of  inferior 
numbers,  after  all  their  boasting,  and  after 
they  had  -poured  out  every  epithet  of  contempt 
against  them.  To  conquer  or  die  was  their 
resolve. 

Bloody  experience  at  last  opened  their  eyes 
to  their  egregious  errors.  Their  overweening 
confidence  was  laid  aside,  and  a  calculated,  de- 
liberate, and  judicious  plan  of  attack  adopted. 
The  overloaded  knapsacks  were  relinquished  ; 
firing  with  musketry  was  prohibited,  and  a 
charge  with  the  bayonet  resorted  to.  The  at- 
^tack  was  to  be  more'  concentrated ;  while  the 
troops  at  the  rail  fence  were  amused  by  a  show 
of  force,  the  grand  effort  was  to  be  against  the 


94    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

redoubt  and  breastwork,  and  particularly  the 
right  flank. 

The  accomplished  and  chivalrous  General 
Clinton  now  joined  and  brought  his  splendid 
talents  into  the  council,  and  his  distinguished 
gallantry  into  the  field.  Immediate  and  incon- 
ceivable was  the  sensation  his  appearance  pro- 
duced at  this  moment  of  deep  despondence. 
From  Copps  Hill  he  had  observed  with  shame 
and  indignation  the  double  rout  of  his  country- 
men, and  particularly  that  the  two  distinguished 
battalions,  the  marines  and  forty-seventh,  were 
staggered  and  wavering.  Without  waiting  for 
orders,  he  threw  himself  into  a  boat,  passed 
ovei,  and  soon  breathed  into  them  his  own  ex- 
alted heroism. 

General  Howe  a  third  time  commanded  a 
forward  movement  to  scale  the  works,  and  rush 
on  the  enemy  with  the  bayonet.  He  came  to 
ibe  left  to  lead  on  to  the  redoubt  himself.  •  Clin- 
um  joined  General  Pigot  and  the  marines  on 
me  left,  to  turn  the  right  flank  of  the  Americans. 
The  artillery  were  ordered  to  advance  still  far- 
ther than  before  on  their  old  rout,  and  turn  the 
left  of  the  breastwork  to  rake  the  line.  General 
Howe  at  lasi  bucame  sensible  that  this  was  the 
most  vulnerable  point  and  key  of  his  enemy's 
position. 

The  Americans  made  every  preparation  pos- 
sible to  repel  the  last  desperate  effort  of  the 
enemy.  Putnam  again  rode  to  the  rear,  and 
exhausted  every  art  and  effort  to  bring  on  the 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  95 

scattered  re-enforcements.  Captain  Bayley,  only, 
of  Colonel  Gerrish's  regiment,  advanced  to  the 
lines,  and  Captain  Trevett  now  arrived  at  the 
rail  fence  with  his  pieces. 

The  enemy  stripped  off  their  knapsacks,  and 
many  of  them  their-  coats  *  the  artillery  pushed 
on  by  the  road  on  the  north,  the  forty-seventh 
and  marines  near  the  road  on  the  south  side,  of 
the  hill,  and  the  remains  of  the  royal  Irish  and 
other  regiments,  and  part  of  the  grenadiers  and 
light  infantry,  in  front.  Their  past  efforts  had 
exhausted  the  strength  and  spirit  of  many  of 
the  men,  who  lingered  in  the  rear,  arid  their 
gallant  officers  were  compelled  to  urge  them 
on  with  their  swords.  Some  of  the  less  reso- 
lute fired  their  pieces,  but  the  great  masses 
obeyed  their  orders,  and  with  firmness  moved 
on  to  the  charge.  They  arrived  under  the  fire 
of  the  Americans,  who  improved  to  advantage 
their  last  opportunity  for  vengeance.  Eveiy 
shot  took  effect.  The  gallant  Howe  at  last 
received  a  ball  in  the  foot,  where,  only,  like 
Achilles,  he  seemed  to  be  vulnerable,  but  con- 
tinued to  animate  his  men. 

A  few  only  of  the  Americans  had  a  charge 
of  ammunition  remaining.  They  had  sent  for 
a  supply  in  vain  ;  a  barrel  and  a  half  only  were 
in  the  magazine.  They  resorted  next  to  stones, 
but  these  served  only  to  betray  their  weakness, 
and  lent  new  energy  to  the  foe. 

The  artillery  advanced  to  the  open  space 
between  the  breastwork  and  rail  fence;  this 
I 


96    LIFE,"ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

ground  was  defended  by  some  brave  Essex 
troops,  covered  only  by  scattered  trees.  With 
resolution  and  deadly  aim  they  poured  the 
most  destructive  vollies  on  the  enemy,  The 
cannon,  however,  turned  the  breastwork,  enfi- 
"laded  the  lino,  and  sent  their  balls  through  the 
open  gateway  or  sally  port,  directly  into  the 
redoubt,  under  cover  of  which  the  troops  at  the 
breastwork  were  compelled  to  retire. 

The  enemy  bravely  bore  the  deadly  fire,  and 
continually  closing  his  broken  ranks,  deliber- 
ately advanced  on  every  side  of  the  redoubt 
except  the  north.  They  were  now  under  the 
eastern  side  of  the  redoubt  and  covered  from 
the  fire.  The  Americans  retired  to  the  side 
apposite  to  lake  them  as  they  rose.  Lieute- 
iiunt  Prescott,  a  nephew  of  the  colonel, .  re- 
ceived a  ball  through  the  arm ;  it  hung  broken 
and  useless  by  his  side.  The  colonel  ordered 
him  to  content  himself  with  encouraging  his 
men.  But  he  contrived  to  load  his  piece,  and 
was  passing  oy  the  sally  port  to  rest  against 
the  enemy,  when  a  cannon  ball  cut  him  to 
pieces. 

Young  Richardson,  of  the  royal  Irish,  was 
the  first  to  mount  tne  works,  and  was  instant- 
ly shot  down  ;  the  front  rank  which  succeeded 
shared  the  same  fate.  Among  these  mounted 
the  gallant  Major  Pitcairn,  and  exultingly  cried 
•'  the  day  is  ours,"  when  a  black  soldier,  named 
'^alem,*  shot  him  through,  and  he  fell.  His 

*  A  contribution  was  made  in  the  army  for  this  soldier 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  97 

agonized  son  received  him  in  his  arms,  and 
tenderly  bore  him  to  the  boats.  It  was  he  who 
caused  the  first  effusion  .of  blood  at  Lexington. 
In  that  battle  his  horse  was  shot  under  him. 
while  he  was  separated  from  his  troops ;  with 
presence  of  mind  he  feigned  himself  slain ;  his 
pistols*  were  taken  from  his  holsters,  and  he 
was  left  for  dead,  when  he  seized  the  opportu- 
nity and  escaped. 

The  heroic  but  diminutive  Pigot  ran  up  the 
south-east  corner  of  the  redoubt,  assisted  by  a 
tree  left  standing  there,  and  desperately  led  on 
his  men.  Troops  succeeded  troops  over  the 
parapet,  and  Prescott  exhausted  every  resource 
to  repel  them,  even  with  the  buts  of  his  guns. 

But  he  had  now  his  last  great  victory  to 
achieve,  to  which  all  his  past  toils,  dangers, 
and  privations,  were  nothing.  He  had  twice 
conquered  the  enemy;  he  had  now  a  more 
difficult  task,  to  conquer  himself,  to  bend  down 
his  lofty  soul,  and  turn  his  back  to  the  enemy. 
Perfectly  careless  of  his  own  life,  he  had  no 
right  to  trifle  with  the  lives  of  his  men.  It  was 
a  sacred  deposit  they  had  intrusted  to  his 
honour,  a 'bond  which  he  never  forfeited.  In- 
stead of  a  useless  waste  of  life,  with  a  "  nil 
desperandum,"  he  quelled  his^  revolting  spirit 
and  ordered  a  retreat. 

and  he  was  presented  to  Washington,  as  having  performed 
this  feat. 

*  This  trophy  afterwards  belonged  to  General  Putnam,  and 
yet  remains  in  his  family,  from  whom  we  have  the  above 
anecdote. 


98    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

General  Ward  had  gratified  at  last  the  ar- 
dent wishes  of  the  Connecticut  troops  to  join 
their  beloved  general.  Captains  Chester,  Clark, 
and  Coit,  were  on  the  ground  with  their  troops, 
and  Major  Durkee's  impatience  had  before  this 
brought  him  mounted  to  the  field,  to  join  his 
old  commander  and  comrade  of  former  wars. 
Putnam's  imagination  had  already  inscribed 
the  victory  of  Bunker  Hill  on  his  coat  of  arms, 
when  a  dark  cloud  flew  across  the  brilliant 
prospect.  The  retreat  of  the  right  wing  burst 
upon  him. 

The  gallant  veteran  Gridley  now  received  a 
ball  through  the  leg,  and  was  carried  off.  He 
had  served  all  night  at  the  intrenchments,  and 
had  all  day  assisted  in  defending  his  own  works, 
and  proving  their  excellence. 

Prescott's  troops  fought  then*  way  through 
the  surrounding  enemy.  The  veteran  Captain 
Bancroft  was  charging  his  piece,  a  British  sol- 
dier leaped  from  the  parapet,  touching  him  as 
he  came  to  the  ground,  and  levelled  at  him ; 
they  fired  together ;  the  captain  tore  him  to 
pieces,  and  escaped  unhurt.  One  of  the  men 
without  ammunition  perceived  Lieutenant  Pres- 
cott's loaded  musket  by  its  deceased  master ;  a 
Briton  obstructed  his  passage  j  seizing  the 
loaded  musket  he  brought  his  antagonist  to  the 
ground. 

Colonel  Bridge,  who  came  with  the  first  de- 
tachment, was  one  of  the  last  to  retreat,  and 
was  twice  severely  wounded,  in  the  head  and 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  99 

neck.  His  lieutenant-colonel,  the  veteran  Park- 
er, who  had  escaped  through  the  whole  war  of 
1756,  in  which  he  had  signalized  himself,  and 
especially  at  the  desperate  sie£e  of  Fort  Fron- 
tinac,  received  a  ball  in  the  thigh,  and  was  left 
mortally  wounded  in  the  redoubt.  . 

The  chivalrous  Warren  lingered  to  the  last. 
His  exalted  spirit  disdained  as  a  disgrace  a 
retreat  the  most  inevitable.  He  animated  the 
men  to  the  most  desperate  daring  ;  and  when 
hope  itself  had  fled,  he  still  disdained  to  fly. 
With  sullen  reluctance  he  followed  his  country- 
men, and  seemed  to  court  that  ball  from  the 
enemy,  which,  a  few  yards  from  the  redoubt, 
passed  through  his  head,  and  secured  to  him 
the  eternal  gratitude  of  his  countrymen,  and 
immortal  fame  throughout  the  world. ' 

Small  here  repaid  the  debt  of  gratitude  he 
owed  the  enemy.  He  recognized  Warren,  his. 
ultimate  friend,  as  he  was  leaving  the  redoubt, 
called  to  him  for  God's  sake  to  stand  and  save 
his  life ;  he  turned  and  seemed  to  recognize 
him,  but  kept  on.  Small  commanded  the  men 
not  to  fire  at  him ;  he  threw  up  the  muskets 
with  his  sword,  but  in  vain,  the  fatal  ball  had 
sped. 

The  enemy  came  on,  exhausted  by  their 
desperate  efforts,  under  a  blazing  sun,  and 
broken  by  the  well  directed  fire.  They  had 
not  force  to  employ  the  bayonet,  and  were  too 
much  broken  and  mingled  with  the  enemy  to 
fire  their  pieces.  Their  right  and  loft  wings; 


100    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

were  indeed  facing  each  other,  with  the  Ame- 
ricans between ;  their  fire  would  have  cut  down 
both  friend  and  foe.  While  they  formed  them- 
selves anew,  the  Americans  collected,  and  made 
a  brave  and  orderly  retreat.  Putnam  put 
spurs  to  his  foaming  horse  and  threw  himself 
between  the  retreating  force  and  the  enemy, 
who  were  but  twelve  rods  from  him;*  his 
countrymen  were  in  momentary  expectation  of 
seeing  this  compeer  of  the  immortal  Warren 
fall.  He  entreated  them  to  rally  and  renew  the 
fight,  to  finish  his  works  oil  Bunker  Hill,  and 
again  give  the  enemy  battle  on  that  unassaila- 
ble positi6n,  and  pledged  his  honor  to  restore 
to  them  an  easy  victory.  Captain  Smith,  of 
General  Ward's  regiment,  came  with  his  com- 
pany to  re  enforce,  joined  in  the  retreat,  and  as- 
sisted to  keep  the  enemy  at  bay. 

The  Americans  had  retreated  about  twenty 
rods  before  the  enemy  had  time  to  rally  and 
pour  in  a  destructive  fire  on  them,  which  de- 
stroyed more  than  they  had  lost  before  during 
the  day.  Colonel  Prescott's  adjutant  was  shot 
and  crippled ;  Captain  Dow,  of  his  regiment, 
was  also  crippled  by  a  wound  in  the  leg,  and 
Captain  Bancroft  had  a  part  of  his  hand  carried 
off. 

The  American  left  wing  were  openly  con- 

*  Deposition  of  Lyman,  then  a  lieutenant,  and  present,  and 
Miner,  a  private  in  the  same  company.  This  is  confirmed 
too  by  the  testimony  of  a  distinguished  officer  of  the  revolu- 
tion, yet  living,  in  1818,  who  had  served  with  General  Putnam 
in  the  French  war,  and  was  present,  though  badly  wounded. 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  101 

gratulating  themselves  on  their  victory,  when 
their  flank  was  •  opened  by  the  retreat  of  the 
right.  The  enemy  pressed  on  them,  and  they 
were  in  their  turn  compelled  to  retire.  Put- 
nam covered  their  retreat  with  his  Connecticut 
troops,  and  dared  the  utmost  fury  of  the  enemy, 
in  the  rear  of  the  whole.  These  pursued  with 
little  ardour,  but  poured  in  their  thundering  vol- 
lies,  and  showers  of  balls  fell  like  hail  around 
the  general.* 

He  addressed  himself  to  every  passion  of  the 
troops,  to  persuade  them  to  rally,  to  throw  up 
his  works  on  Bunker  Hill,  and  make  a  stand, 
aad,  as  the  last  resort,  threatened  them  with 
the  eternal  disgrace  of  deserting  their  general. 
He  took  his  stand  near  a  field  piece,  and  seem- 
ed resolved  to  brave  the  foe  alone.  His  troops, 
however,  felt  it  impossible  to  withstand  the 
overwhelming  force  of  the  British  bayonets ; 
they  left  him.  One  sergeant  only  dared  to 
stand  by  his.  general  to  the  last ;  he  was  shot 
down,  and  the  enemy's  bayonets  were  just  upon 
the  general,  before  he  retired. 

General  Pomeroy  continued  to  animate  the 
men,  and  cut  down  the  enemy  himself,  till  a 
well  hove  ball  shattered  his  musket.  The  re- 
treat having  commenced,  he  disdained  to  turn 
his  back ;  but  with  backward  step  and  'lower- 
ing' front  shouldered  the  fragments  of  his  piece 

*  This  fact  we  have  from  a  respectable  friend,  Philip  John- 
son, Esq.,  who  was  present,  and  living,  in  1818,  at  Newbury- 
port  His  honour  and  veracity  is  surpassed  by  no  man's. 


102    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

and  carried  off  his  men,  encouraging  them  to 
pour  in  their  formidabie  fire  on  the  enemy. 

The  premature  death  of  Warren,  one  of  the 
most  illustrious  patriots  that  ever  bled  in  the 
cause  of  freedom ;  the  veteran  appearance  of 
Putnam,  collected,  yet  ardent  in  action  ;  toge- 
ther with  the  astonishing,  scenery  and  interest- 
ing group  around  Bunker-Hill,  rendered  this  a 
magnificent  subject  for"  the  historic  pencil. 
Accordingly  Trumbull,  formerly  an  Aid-de- 
Gamp  to  General  Washington,  afterwards 
Deputy-Adjutant-General  of  the  northern  ar- 
my, now  an  artist  of  great  celebrity  in  Europe, 
has  finished  this  picture  with  that  boldness,  of 
conception,  and  those  touches  of  art,  which  de- 
monstrate the  master.  Heightened  in  horror 
by  the  flames  of  a  burning  town,  and  the  smoke 
of  conflicting  armies,  the  principal  scene,  taken 
the  moment  when  Warren  fell,  represents  that 
hero  in  the  agonies  of  death,  a  grenadier  on  the 
point  of  bayoneting  him,  and  Colonel  Small,  to 
whom  he  was  familiarly  known,  arresting  the 
soldier's  arms ;  at  the  head  of  the  British  line, 
Major  Pitcairne  is  seen  falling  dead  into  the 
arms  of  his  son ;  and  not  far  distant  General 
Putnam  is  placed  at  the  rear  of  our  retreating 
troops,  in  the  light  blue  and  scarlet  uniform 
he  wore  that  day,  with  his  head  uncovered, 
and  his  sword  waving  towards  the  enemy,  as  it 
were  to  stop  their  impetuous  pursuit.  In  nearly 
the  same  attitude  he  is  exhibited  by  Barlow  in 
that  excellent  poem,  the  Vision  of  Columbus. 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM. 


103 


BATTLE  OF  BUNKER-HILL  ANP  DEATH  OF 
WARREN. 

"  There  strides  bold  Putnam,  and  from  all  the  plains 
Calls  the  third  host,  the  tardy  rear  sustains, 
Ana,  'mid  the  whizzing  deaths  that  fill  the  air, 
Waves  back  his  sword,  and  dares'the'foll'wing  war."* 

*  The  writer  of  this  Essay  had  occasion  of  remarking  to  the 
poet  and  the  painter,  while  they  were  three  thousand  miles 
distant  frqm  each  other,  at  which  distance  they  had  formed 
and  executed  the  plans  of  their  respective  productions,  the  si- 
milarity observable  in  their  descriptions  of  General  Putnam. 
These  Chefs  d'ceuvres  are  mentioned  not  with  a  vain  pre- 
sumption of  adding  eclat  of  duration  to  works  which  have  re- 
ceived the  seal  of  immortality^  but  because  they  preserve,  in 
the  sister  arts,  the  same  illustrious  action  of  pur  hero.  I  per- 
suade myself  I  need  not  apologize  for  annexing  the  beautiful 
lines  from  the  poem  in  question,  on  the  death  of  General 
Warren. 

"  There,  hapless  Warren,  thy  cold  earth  was  seen  : 
There  spring  thy  laurels  in  immortal  green  ; 
Dearest  of  Chiefs  that  ever  press'd  the  plain, 
In  freedom's  cause,  with  early  honours,  slain. 
Still  dear  in  death,  ag  when  in  fight  you  mov  d, 
By  hosts  applauded  and  by  heav  n  approv'd ; 
The  faithful  muse  shall  tell  the  world  thy  fame, 
And  unborn  realms  resound  th'  immortal  name." 


104    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

After  this  action,  the  British  strongly  forti- 
fied themselves  on  the  .peninsulas  of  Boston 
and  .Charlestown ;  while  the  provincials  re- 
mained posted  in  the  circumjacent  country  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  form  a  blockade.  In  the 
beginning  of  July,  General  Washington,  who 
had  been  constituted  by  Congress  Command- 
er-in-chief of  the  American  forces,  arrived  at 
Cambridge,  to  take  the  command.  Having 
formed  the  army  into  three  grand  divisions, 
consisting  of  about  twelve  regiments  each,  he 
appointed  Major-General  Ward  to  command 
the  right  wing,  Major-General  Lee  the  left 
wing,  and  Major-General  Putnam  the  reserve. 
General  Putnam's  alertness  in  accelerating  the 
construction  of  the  necessary  defences  was  par- 
ticularly noticed  and  highly  approved  by  the 
Commander-in-chief.* 

About  the  20th  of  July,  the  declaration  of 
Congress,  setting  forth  the  reasons  of  their  ta- 
king up  arms,  was  proclaimed  at  the  head  of 
the  several  divisions.  It  concluded  with  these 

»  Washington  and  Putnam  were  unknown  to  each  other 
till  they  met  at  Cambridge.  The  open,  undisguised  frankness 
of  the  latter,  together  with  his  great  activity  and  personal  in- 
dustry, in  every  thing  pertaining  to  the  army,  soon  attracted 
the  attention  of  "the  former;  an  early  intimacy  was  formed, 
and  a  firm  friendship  established,  which  continued  undisturbed 
during  the  whole  period  they  were  associated  in  service.  _  It 
was  not  in  Putnam's  nature  to  be  idle :  inured  to  habits  of  in- 
dustry himself,  no  man  was  better  calculated  to  make  others 
so :  and  Washington  observing  the  great  progress  that  had 
been  made  in  a  short  time,  and  with  but  few  men,  in  raising  a 
work  of  defence,  said  to  him—"  you  seem'to  have  the  faculty 
General  Putnam,  of  infusing  your  own  industrious  spirit  into 
all  the  workmen  you  employ.  (Editor.) 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  105 

patriotic  and  noble  sentiments :  "  In  our  own 
native  land,  in  defence  of  the  freedom  that  is 
our  birth-right,  and  which  we  ever  enjoyed 
until  the  late  violation  of  it ;  for  the  protection 
of  our  property,  acquired  solely  by  the  honest 
industry  of  our  forefathers  and  ourselves ; 
against  violence  actually  offered,  we  have  ta- 
ken up  arms.  We  shall  lay  them  down  when 
hostilities  shall  cease  on  the  part  of  the  aggres- 
sors, and  all  danger  of  their,  being  renewed 
shall  be  removed,  and  not  before. 

"  With  an  humble  confidence  in  the  mercies 
of  the  supreme  and  impartial  Judge  and  Ruler 
of  the  universe,  we  most  devoutly  implore  his 
divine  goodness  to- conduct  us  happily  through 
this  great  conflict,  to  dispose  our  adversaries  to 
reconciliation  on  reasonable  terms,  and,  there- 
by, to  relieve  the  empire  from  the  calamities  of 
civil  war." 

As  soon  as  these  memorable  words  were  pro- 
nounced to  General  Putnam's  division,  which 
he  had  ordered  to  be  paraded  on  Prospect-Hill, 
they  shouted  in  three  huzzas  aloud,  Amen  ! 
whereat  (a  cannon  from  the  fort  being  fired  as 
a  signal)  the  new  Standard  lately  sent  from 
Connecticut,  was  suddenly  seen  to  rise  and  un- 
rol  itself  to  the  wind.  On  one  side  was  inscri- 
bed, in  large  letters  of  gold,  "  AN  APPEAL  TO 
HEAVEN,",  and  on-  the  other  were  delineated 
the  armorial  bearings  of  Connecticut,  which, 
without  supporters  or  crest,  consist,  unostenta- 
tiously, of  three  Vines  ;  with  this  motto,  "  Qui 


106    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

transtulit,  sustinet  ;"*  alluding  to  the  pious 
confidence  our  forefathers  placed  in  the  protec- 
tion of  Heaven,  on  those  -three  allegorical 

Scions^- KNOWLEDGE — LIBERTY RELIGION— 

which  they  had  been  instrumental  in  trans- 
planting to  America. 

The  .strength  of  position  on  the  enemy's 
part,  and  want  of  ammunition  on  <  ours,  pre- 
vented operations  of  magnitude  from  being. at- 
tempted. Such  diligence  was  used  in  fortify- 
ing our  camps,  and  such  precaution  adopted  to 
prevent  surprise,  as  to  ensure  tranquillity  to  the 
troops  during  the  winter.  In  the  spring,  a 
position  was  taken  so  menacing  to  the  enemy, 
as  to  cause  them,  on  the  17th  of  March,  1776, 
to  abandon  Boston,  not  without  considerable 
precipitation  and  dereliction  of  royal  stores.t 

*  Literally,  "  He  vfto  transplanted  them  -will  support 
them," 

t  In  the  expectation  that  the  flower  of  the  British  troops 
would  be  employed  against  the  Heights  of  Dorchester,  (which 
had  been  taken  possession  of  by  the  Americans  on  the  night 
of  the  4th  of  March.  1776,)  General  Washington  had  concerted 
a  plan  for  availing  himself  of  that  occasion,  to  attack  the  town 
of  Boston  itself.  Four  thousand  chosen  men  were  held  in  rea- 
diness to  embark  at  the  mouth  of  Cambridge  river,  on  a  signal 
to  be  given,  if  the  garrison  should  appear  to  be  so  weakened  by 
the  detachment  made  from  it  as  to  justify  an  assault.  These 
troops  were  to  embark  in  two  divisions,  the  first  to  be  led  by 
Brigadier-General  Sullivan,  the  second  by  Brigadier-General 
Greene,  and  the  whole  to  be  under  the  command  of  Major- 
General  Putnam.  The  boats  were  to  be  preceded  by  three 
floating  batteries,  which  were  to  keep  up  a  heavy  fire  on  that 
part  of  the  town  where  the  troops  were  to  land.  It  was  propo- 
sed that  the  first  division  should  land  at  the  powder-house, 
and  gain  possession  of  Beacon  Hill;  the  second  at  Barton's 
Point,  or  a  little  south  of  it,  and  after  securing  that  post,  to 
join  the  other  division,  force  the  enemy's  works,  and  open  the 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL   PUTNAM.  107 

As  a  part  of  the  hostile  fleet  lingered  for 
some  time  in  Nantasket-Road,  about  nine  miles 
below  Boston,  General  Washington  continued 
himself  in  Boston,  not  only  to  see  the  coast  en- 
tirely clear,  but  also  to  make  many  indispensa- 
ble arrangements.  His  Excellency,  proposing 
to  leave  Major-General  Ward,  with  a  few  re- 
giments, to  finish  the  fortifications  intended  as 
a  security  against  an  attack  by  .water,  in  the 
mean  time  despatched  the  greater  part  of  the 
army  to  New  York,  where  it  was  most  proba- 
ble the  enemy  would  make  a  descent.  Upon 
the  sailing  of  a  fleet  with  troops  in  the  month 
of  January,  Major-General  Lee  had  been  sent 
to  the  defence  of  that  city ;  who,  after  having 
caused  some  works  to  be  laid  out,  proceeded  to 
follow  that  fleet  to  South  Carolina.  The  Com- 
mander-in-chief was  now  exceedingly  solicit- 
ous that  these  works  should  be  completed  as 
soon  as  possible,  ,and  accordingly  gave  the  fol- 
lowing 

"  Orders  and  Instructions  for  Major-  General 

Putnam. 

"As  there  are  the  best  reasons  to  believe 
that  the  enemy's  fleet  and  army,  which  left 
Nantasket-Road  last  Wednesday  evening,  are 
bound  to  New  York,  to  endeavour  to  possess 
that  important  post,  and,  if  possible,  to  secure 
the  communication  by  Hudson's  river  to  Ca- 
nada, it  must  be  our  care  to  prevent  them  from 

gates  in  order  to  give  admission  te  the  troops  from  Roxbury. 
(Editor 

K 


108  LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

accomplishing  their  designs.  To  that  end  1 
have  detached  Brigadier-General  Heath,  with 
the  whole  body  of  riflemen,  and  five  battalions 
of  the  Continental  army,  by  the  way  of  Norwich, 
in  Connecticut,  to  New  York.  These,  by  an 
express  arrived  yesterday  from  General  Heath, 
I  have  reason  to  believe,  are  in  New  York.  Six 
more  battalions,  under  General  Sullivan,  march 
this  morning  by  the  same  route,  and  will,  I 
hope,  arrive  there  in  eight  or  ten  days  at  far- 
thest. The  rest  of  the  army  will  immediately 
follow  in  divisions,  leaving  only  a  convenient 
space  between  each  division,  to  prevent  confu- 
sion, and  want  of  accommodation  upon  their 
march.  You  will,  no  doubt,  make  the  test 
despatch  in  getting  to  New  York.  Upon  your 
arrival  there,  you  will  assume  the  command, 
and  immediately  proceed  in  continuing  to  exe- 
cute the  plan  proposed  by  Major-General  Lee, 
for  fortifying  that  city,  and  securing  the  passes 
of  the  East  and  North  rivers.  If,  upon  consulta- 
tion with  the  Brigadiers  General  and  Engineers, 
any  alteration  in  that  plan  is  thought  neces- 
sary, you  are  at  liberty  to  make  it :  cautiously 
avoiding  to  break  in  too  much  upon  his  main 
design,  unless  where  it  may  be  apparently  neces- 
sary so  to  do,  and  that  by  the  general  voice 
and  opinion  of  the  gentlemen  above  mentioned. 
"You  will  meet  the  Q,uarter-Master-Gerieral, 
Colonel  Mifflin,  and  Commissary-General,*  at 

*  Colonel  Joseph  TrumbulL  eldest  son  to  the  Governor  of 
that  name. 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  109 

New  York.  As  these  are  both  men  of  excellent 
talents  in  their  different  departments,  you  will 
do  well  to  give  them  all  the  authority  and 
assistance  they  require :  and  should  a  council 
of  war  he  necessary,  it  is  my  direction  they 
assist  at  it. 

"  Your  long  service  and  experience  will, 
better  than  my  particular  directions  at  this  dis- 
tance, point  out  to  you  the  works  most  proper 
to  be  first  raised ;  and  your  perseverance,  ac- 
tivity, and  zeal,  will  lead  you,  without  my 
recommending  it,  to  exert  every  nerve  to  disap- 
point the  enemy's  designs. 

"  Devoutly  praying  that  the  POWER  which 
has  hitherto  sustained  the  American  arms,  may 
continue  to  bless  them  with  the  divine  protec- 
tion, I  bid  you — FAREWELL. 

"Given  at  Head-Quarters,  in  Cambridge, 
this  twenty-ninth  of  March,  1776. 

"G.  WASHINGTON." 

Invested  with  these  commands,  General 
Putnam  travelled  by  long  and  expeditious  sta- 
ges to  New  York.  His  first  precaution,  upon 
his  arrival,  was  to  prevent  disturbance,  or  sur- 
prise in  the  night  season.  With  these  objects 
in  view,  after  posting  the  necessary  guards,  he 
issued  his  orders.*  He  instituted,  likewise, 

*  GENERAL  ORDERS. 

"  Head-  Quarters,  New  York,  April  5,  1776. 
'The  soldiers  are  strictly  enjoined  to  retire  to  their  barracks 
and  quarters  at  tattoo-beating,  and  to  remain  there  until  the 
reveille  is  beat. 


110   LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

other  wholesome  regulations  to  meliorate  the 
police  of  the  troops,  and  to  preserve  the  good 
agreement  that  subsisted  between  them  and  the 
citizens. 

Notwithstanding  the  war  had  now  raged,  in 
other  parts,  with  unaccustomed  severity  for 
nearly  a  year,  yet  the  British  ships  at  New 
York,  one  of  which  had  once  fired  upon  the 
town  to  intimidate  the  inhabitants,  found  the 
means  of  being  Supplied  with  fresh  water  and 
provisions.  General  Putnam  resolved  to  adopt 
effectual  measures  for  putting  a  period  to  this 
intercourse,  and  accordingly  expressed  his  pro- 
hibition* in  the  most  pointed  terms.  > 

Nearly  at  the  same  moment,  a  detachment  of 

"Necessity  obliges  the  General  to  desire  the  inhabitants  of 
the  city  to  observe  the  same  rule,  as  no  person  will  be  permit- 
ted to  pass  any  sentry  after  this  night,  without  the  counter- 
sign. 

'  The  inhabitants,  whose  business  require  it,  may  know  the 
countersign,  by  applying  to  any  of  the  Brigade-Majors." 

*  PROHIBITION. 

"  Head- Quarter s.  New  York,  April  8,  1776. 
"The  General  informs  the  inhabitants,  that  it  is  become 
absolutely  necessary  that  all  communication  between  the 
ministerial  fleet  and  the  shore,  should  be  immediately  stopped  : 
for  that  purpose  he  has  given  positive  orders,  the  ships  should 
no  longer  be  furnished  with  provisions.  Any  inhabitants,  or 
others,  who  shall  be  taken,  that  have  been  on  board,  after  the 
publishing  this  order,  or  near  any  of  the  ships,  or  going  on 
board,  will  be  considered  as  enemies,  and  treated  accordingly. 

"  All  boats  are  to  sail  from  Beekrnan  slip.  Captain  James 
Alner  is  appointed  inspector,  and  will  give  permits  to  oyster- 
men.  It  is  ordered  and  expected  that  none  attempt  going 
without  a  pass. 

"  ISRAEL  PUTNAM, 

"  Major-General  in  the  Cont  nental  army,  and  command- 
er-in-chief  of  the  forces  in  New  York." 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  Ill 

a  thousand  continentals  was  sent  to  occupy 
Governor's  Island,  a  regiment  to  fortify  Red 
Hook,  and  some  companies  of  riflemen  to  the 
Jersey  shore.  Of  two  boats,  belonging  to  two 
armed  vessels,  which  attempted  to  take  on 
board  fresh  water  from  the  watering  place  on 
Staten  Island,  one  was  driven  off  by  the  rifle- 
men, with  two  or  three  seamen  killed  in  it,  and 
the  other  captured  with  thirteen.  A  few  days 
afterwards,  Captain  Vandeput,  of  the  Asia  man 
of  war,  the  senior  officer  of  the  ships  on  this 
station,  rinding  the  intercourse  with  the  shore 
interdicted,  their  limits  contracted,  and  that  no 
good  purposes  could  be  answered  by  remaining 
there,  sailed,  with  all  the  armed  vessels,  out  of 
the  harbour.  These  arrangements  and  transac- 
tions, joined  to  an  unremitting  attention  to  the 
completion  of  the  defences,  gave"  full  scope  to 
the  activity  of  General  Putnam,  until  the  arri- 
val of  General  Washington,  which  happened 
about  the  middle  of  April. 

The  Commander-in-chief,  in  his  first  public 
orders,  "complimented  the  officers  who  had 
successively  commanded  at  New  York,  and 
returned  his  thanks  to  them,  as  well  as  to  the 
officers  and  soldiers  under  their  command,  for 
the  many  works  of  defence  which  had  been  so 
expeditiously  erected :  at  the  same  time  he  ex- 
pressed an  expectation  that  the  same  spirit  of 
zeal  for  the  service  would  continue  to  animate 
their  future  conduct."  Putnam,  who  was  then 
the  only  Major-General  with  the  main  army, 
H 


112    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

had  still  a  chief  agency  in  forwarding  the  forti- 
fications, and,  with  the  assistance  of  the  Briga- 
diers Spencer  and  Lord  Stirling,  in  assigning  to 
the  different  corps  their  alarm  posts. 

Congress  having  intimated  a  desire  of  con- 
sulting with  the  Commander-in-chief,  on  the 
critical  posture  of  affairs,  his  Excellency  re- 
paired to  Philadelphia  accordingly,  and  was 
absent  from  the  twenty-first  of  May,  until  the 
sixth  of  June.  General  Putnam,  who  com- 
manded in  that  interval,  had  it  in  charge  to 
open  all  letters  directed  to  General  Washington, 
on  public  service,  and,  if  important,  after  regu- 
lating his  conduct  by  their  contents,  to  forward 
them  by  express  ;  to  expedite  the  works  then 
erecting  ;  to  begin  others  which  were  specified ; 
to  establish  signals  for  communicating  an 
alarm ;  to  guard  against  the  possibility  of  sur- 
prise ;  to  secure  well  the  powder  magazine ;  to 
augment,  by  every  means  in  his  power,  the 
quantity  of  cartridges  ;  and  to  send  Brigadier- 
General  Lord  Stirling  to  put  the  posts  in  the 
Highlands  into  a  proper  condition  of  defence. 
He  had  also  a  private  and  confidential  instruc- 
tion, to  afford  whatever  aid  might  be  required 
by  the  provincial  congress  of  New- York,  for 
apprehending  certain  of  their  disaffected  citi- 
zens ;  and  as  it  would  be  most  convenient  to 
take  the  detachment  for  this  service  from  the 
troops  on  Long  Island,  under  the  command  of 
Brigadier-General  Greene,  it  was  recommended 
that  this  officer  should  be  advised  of  the  plan, 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  113 

and  that  the  execution  should  be  conducted 
with  secrecy  and  celerity,  as  well  as  with  de- 
cency and  good  order.  In  the  records  of  the 
army,  are  preserved  the  daily  orders  which 
were  issued  in  the  absence  of  the  Commander- 
in-chief,  who,  on  his  return,  was  not  only  satis- 
fied that  the  works  had  been  prosecuted  with 
all  possible  despatch,  but  also  that  the  other 
duties  had  been  properly  discharged. 

It  was  the  latter  end  of  June,  when  the  Bri- 
tish fleet,  which  had  been  at  Halifax,  waiting 
for  re-enforcements  from  Europe,  began  to  ar- 
rive at  NewrYork.  To  obstruct  its  passage, 
some  marine  preparations  had  been  made. 
General  Putnam,  to  whom  the  direction  of  the 
whale-boats,  fire-rafts,  flat-bottomed  boats,  and 
armed  vessels,  was  committed,  afforded  his 
patronage  to  a  project  for  destroying  the  ene- 
my's shipping  by  explosion.  A  machine,  alto- 
gether different  from  any  thing  hitherto  devised 
by  the  art  of  man,  had  been  invented  by  Mr. 
David  Bushnell,*  for  sub-marine  navigation, 

*  David  Bushnell,  A.  M.,  of  Saybrook,  in  Connecticut,  in- 
'  vented  several  other  machines  for  the  annoyance  of  shipping: 
these,  from  accidents,  n9t  militating  against  the  philosophical 
principles  on  which  their  success  depended,  only  partially  suc- 
ceeded. He  destroyed  a  vessel  in  the  charge  of  Commodore 
Symmonds,  whose  report  to  the  Admiral  was  published.  One 
of  his  kegs  also  demolished  a  vessel  near  the  Long  Island 
shore.  Aoout  Christmas,  1777,  he  committed  to  the  Delaware 
a  number  of  kegs,  destined  to  fall  among  the  British  fleet  at 
Philadelphia:  but  his  squadron  of  kegs,  having  been  separated 
and  retarded  by  the  ice,  demolished  but  a  single  boat.  .This 
catastrophe,  however,  produced  an  alarm,  unprecedented  in  its 
nature  and  degree ;  which  has  been  so  happily  described  in  the 
subsequent  song,  by  the  Hon.  Francis  Hopkinson,  that  the 


114    LIFE.  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

which  was  found  to  answer  the  purpose  per- 
fectly, of  rowing  horizontally  at  any  given 
depth  under  water,  and  of  rising  or  sinking  at 
pleasure.  To  this  machine,  called  the  Ame- 

eyent  it  celebrates  will  not  be  forgotten,  BO  long  as  man- 
kind shall  continue  to  be  delighted  with  works  of  humour  and 
taste. 

THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  KEGS.-^  Song. 
[  Tune,  Moggy  Laioder.] 

Gallants,  attend,  and  hear  a  friend 

Thrill  forth  harmonious  ditty  : 
Strange  things  I'll  tell,  which  late  befell 

In  Philadefphia  city. 

Twas  early  day,  as  poets  say, 

Just  when  the  sun  was  rising, 
A  soldier  stood  on  log  of  wood, 

And  saw  a  sight  surprising. 

As  in  a  maze  he  stood  to  gaze, 

The  truth  can't  be  denied,  Sir, 
He  spied  a  score  of  kegs  or  more, 

Come  floating  down  the  tide,  Sir. 

A  sailor,  too,  in  jerkin  blue, 

The  strange  appearance  viewing, 
First  damn'd  his  eyes,  in  great  surprise, 

Then  said—"  Some  mischief's  brewing. 

These  kegs  now  hold  the  rebels  bold, 

Pack'd  up  like  pickled  herring  ; 
And  they're  come  down  t'  attack  the  town 

In  this  new  way  of  ferry'ng." 

The  soldier  flew ;  the  sailor  too : 

And,  scar'd  almost  to  death.  Sir, 
Wore  out  their  shoes  to  spread  the  news, 

And  ran  till  out  of  breath,  Sir. 

Now  up  and  down,  throughout  the  town, 

Most  frantic  scenes  were  acted ; 
And  some  ran  here,  and  some  ran  there, 

Like  men  almost  distracted. 

Some  fire  cried,  which  some  denied, 

But  said  the  earth  had  ouaked : 
And  girls  and  boys,  with  hideous  noise, 

Ran  through  the  town  half  naked. 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  115 

rican  Turtle,  was  attached  a  magazine  of 
powder,  which  it  was  intended  to  be  fastened 
under  the  bottom  of  a  ship,  with  a  driving 
screw,  in  such  sort,  that  the,  same  stroke  which 
disengaged  it  from  the  machine,  should  put  the 
internal  clockwork  in  motion.  This  being  done, 

Sir  William*  he,  snug  as  a  flea, 

Lay  all  this  time  a  snoring; 
Nor  dreamt  of  harm,  as  he  lay  warm 

In  bed  with  Mr*.  L*r*ng. 

'    Now  in  a  fright,  he  starts  upright, 

Awak'd  by  such  a  clatter  :     ' 
He  rubs  "bo tn  eyes,  and  boldly  cries, 
"  For  God's  sake,  what's  the  matterl" 

At  his  bedside  he  then  espied 

Sir  Erskinet  at  command,  Sir ; 
Upon  one  foot  he  had  one  boot, 

And  t'other  in  his  hand,  Sir. 

"  Arise !  arise  !"  Sir  Erskine  cries ; 

"  The  rebels^-more's  the  pity — 
Without  a  boat,  are  all  on  float, 

And  rang'd  before  the  city. 

"  The  motley  crew,  in  vessels  new, 

With  Satan  for  their  guide,  Sir, 
Pack'd  up  in  bags,  or  wooden  kegs, 

Come  driving  down  the  tide,  Sir : 

"  Therefore  prepare  for  bloody  war ; 

These  kegs  must  all  be  routed, 
Or  surely  we  despis'd  shall  be. 

And  British  courage  doubted." 

The  Royal  band  now  ready  stand, 

All  rang'd  in  dread  array,  Sir, 
With  stomachs  stout,  to  see  it  out, 

And  make  a  bloody  day,  Sir. 

The  cannons  roar  from  shore  to  shore, 

The  small  arms  make  a  rattle : 
Since  wars  began,  I'm  sure  no  man 

E'er  saw  so  strange  a  battle. 

*  Sir  William  Howe. 
t  Sir  William  Erskine. 


116  LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

the  ordinary  operation  of  a  gun-lock  at  the  dis- 
tance of  half  an  hour,  an  hour,  or  any  determi- 
nate time,  would  cause  the  powder  to  ejcplode, 
and  leave  the  effects  to  the  common  laws  of  na*- 
ture.  The  simplicity,  yet  combination  disco- 
vered in  the  mechanism  of  this  wonderful  ma- 
chine, were  acknowledged  by  those  skilled  in 
physics,  and  particularly  hydraulics,  to  be  not  less 
ingenious  than  novel.  The  inventor,  whose  con- 
stitution was  too  feeble  to  permit  him  to  perform 

The  rebel*  vales,  the  rebel  dales, 

With  rebel  trees  surrounded, 
The  distant  woods,  the  hills  and  floods, 

With  rebel  echoes  sounded. 

The  fish  below  swam  to  and  fro, 

Attack'd  from  every  quarter  : 
"  Why  sure,"  thought  they,  "  the  Devil's  to  pay 
Mong'st  folks  above  the  water." 

The  kegs,  'tis  said,  though  strongly  made 

Of  rebel  staves  and  hoops,  Sir, 
Could  not  oppose  their  pow'rful  foes, 

The  conquering  British  troops,  Sir. 

From  morn  to  night  those  men  of  might, 

Display'd  amazing  courage : 
And  when  the  sun  was  fairly  down, 

Retir'd  to  sup  their  porridge. 

An  hundred  men,  with  each  a  pen, 

Or  more,  upon  my  word,  Sir, 
It  is  most  true,  would  be  too  few 

Their  valour  to  record,  Sir. 

Such  feats  did  they  perform  that  day, 

Upon  those  wicked  kegs,  Sir, 
That  years  to  come,  if  they  get  home, 

They'll  make  their  boasts  and  brags,  Sir. 
Mr.  Bushnell,  havinjg  been  highly  recommended  for  his  ta- 
lents by  President  Slues,  General  Parsons,  and  some  other 
gentlemen  of  science,  was  appointed  a  captain  in  the  corps  of 
sappers  and  miners  :  in  which  capacity  he  continued  to  serve 
with  that  corps  until  the  conclusion  of  the  war. 

*  The  British  officers  were  so  fond  of  the  word  rebel,  that 
they  often  applied  it  most  absurdly. 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  117 

the  labour  of  rowing  the  Turtle,  had  taught  his 
brother  to  manage  it  with  perfect  dexterity ;  but 
unfortunately  his  brother  fell  sick  of  a  fever  just 
before  the  arrival  of  the  fleet.  Recourse  was 
therefore  had  to  a  sergeant  in  the  Connecticut 
troops ;  who,  having  received  whatever  instruc- 
tions could  be  communicated  to  him  in  a  short 
time,  went,  too  late  in  the  night,  with  all  the 
apparatus,  under  the  bottom  of  the  Eagle,  a 
sixty-four  gun  ship,  on  board  of  which  the 
British  Admiral,  Lord  Howe,  commanded.  In 
coming  up,  the  screw  that  had  been  calculated 
to  perforate  the  copper  sheathing,  unluckily 
struck  against  some  iron  plates  where  the  rud- 
der is  connected  with  the  stern.  This  accident, 
added  to  the  strength  of  the  tide  which  pre- 
vailed, and  the  want  of  adequate  skill  in  the 
sergeant,  occasioned  such  delay,  that  the  dawn 
began  to  appear,  whereupon  he  abandoned  the 
magazine  to  chance,  and  after  gaining  a  proper 
distance,  for  the  sake  of  expedition,  rowed  on 
the  surface  towards  the  town.  General  Put- 
nam, who  had  been  on  the  wharf  anxiously 
expecting  the  result,  from  the  first  glimmering 
of  light,  beheld  the  machine  near  Governor's 
Island;  and  sent  a  whale-boat  to  bring  it  on 
shore.  In  about  twenty  minutes  afterwards  the 
magazine  exploded,  and  blew  a  vast  column  of 
water  to  an  amazing  height  in  the  air.  As  the 
whole  business  had  been  kept  an  inviolable  se- 
cret, he  was  not  a  little  diverted  with  the  various 
conjectures,  whether  this  stupendous  noise  was 


lib    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

produced  by  a  bomb,  a  meteor,  a  water-spout. 
or  an  earthquake.  Other  operations  of  a  most 
serious  nature  rapidly  succeeded,  and  prevented 
a  repetition  of  the  experiment. 

On  the  twenty-second  day  of  August,  the 
van  of  the  British  landed  on  Long  Island,  and 
was  soon  followed  by  the  whole  army,  except 
one  brigade  of  Hessians,  a  small  body  of  British, 
and  some  convalescents,  left  on  Staten  Island. 
Our  troops  on  Long  Island  had  been  command- 
ed during  the  summer  by  General  Greene,  who 
was  now  sick ;  and  General  Putnam  took  the 
command  but  .two  days  before  the  battle  of 
Flatbush.  The  instructions  to  him,  pointing 
in  the  first  place  to  decisive  expedients  for  sup- 
pressing the  scattering,  unmeaning,  and  waste- 
ful fire  of  our  men,  contained  regulations  for 
the  service  of  the  guards,  the  brigadiers,  and 
the  field-officers  of  the  day;  for  the  appointment 
and  encouragement  of  proper  scouts,  as  well  as 
for  keeping  the  men  constantly  at  their  posts ; 
for  preventing  the  burning  of  buildings,  except  it 
should  be  necessary  for  military  purposes,  and 
for  preserving  private  property  from  pillage 
and  destruction.  To  these  regulations  were 
added,  in  a  more  diffuse,  though  not  less  spi- 
rited and  professional  style,  reflections  on  the 
distinction  of  an  army  from  a  mob ;  with  exhort- 
ations for  the  soldiers  to  conduct  themselves 
manfully  in  such  a  cause,  and  for  their  com- 
mander to  oppose  the  enemy's  approach  with 
detachments  of  his  best  troops ;  while  he  should 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  119 

endeavour  to  render  their  advance  more  diffi- 
cult by  constructing  abattis,  and  to  entrap  their 
parties  by  forming  ambuscades.  General  Put- 
iiam  was  within  the  lines,  when  an  engagement 
took  place  on  the  27th,  between  the  British  ar- 
my and  our  advanced  corps,  in  which  we  lost 
about  a  thousand  men  in  killed  and  missing, 
with  the  Generals  Sullivan  and  Lord  Stirling 
made  prisoners.  Eut  our  men,  though  attacked 
on  all  sides,  fought  with  great  bravery;  and  the 
enemy's  loss  was  not  light. 

The  unfortunate  battle  of  Long  Island,  the 
masterly  retreat  from  thence,  and  the  actual 
passage  of  part  of  the  hostile  fleet  in  the  East 
river,  above  the  town,  preceded  the  evacuation 
of  New- York.  A  promotion  of  four  major- 
generals,  and  six  brigadiers,  had  previously 
been  made  by  Congress.  After  the  retreat  from 
Long  Island,  the  main  army,  consisting,  for  the 
moment,  of  sixty  battalions,  of  which  twenty 
were  Continental,  the  residue  levies  and  militia, 
was,  conformably  to  the  exigencies  of  the  ser- 
vice, rather  than  to  the  rules  of  war,  formed 
into  fourteen  brigades;  Major-General  Putnam 
commanded  the  right  grand  division  of  five 
brigades,  the  Majors-General  Spencer  and 
Greene  the  centre  of  six  brigades,  and  Major- 
General  Heath  the  left,  which  was  posted  near 
Kingsbridge,  and  composed  of  two  brigades. 
The  whole  never  amounted  to  twenty  thousand 
effective  men  ;  while  the  British  and  German 
forces,  under  Sir  William  Howe,  exceeded 
L 


120    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

twenty-two  thousand :  indeed,  the  minister  had 
asserted  in  parliament  that  they  would  consist 
of  more  than  thirty  thousand.  Our  two  centre 
divisions,  both  commanded  by  General  Spencer, 
in  the  sickness  of  General  Greene,  moved  to- 
wards Mount  Washington,  Harlaem  Heights, 
and  Horn's  Hook,  as  soon  as  the  final  resolu- 
tion was  tak?n  in  a  council  of  war,  on  the 
twelfth  of  September,  to  abandon  the  city. 
That  event,  thus  circumstanced,  took  effect  a 
few  days  after. 

On  Sunday,  the  fifteenth,  the  British, -after 
sending  three  ships  of  war  up  the  North  River, 
to  Bloomingdale,  and  keeping  up,  for  some 
hours,  a  severe  cannonade  on  our  lines,  from 
those  already  in  the  East  River,  landed  in  force 
at  Turtle  Bay.  Our  new  levies,  commanded 
by  a  state  brigadier-general,  fled  without  mak- 
ing resistance.  Two  brigades  of  General  Put- 
nam's division,  ordered  to  their  support,  not- 
withstanding the  exertion  of  their  brigadiers, 
and  of  the  commander-in-chief  himself,  who 
came  up  at  the  instant,  conducted  themselves 
in  the  same  shameful  manner.  His  excellency 
then  ordered  the  Heights  of  Harlaem,  a  strong 
position,  to  be  occupied.  Thither  the  forces 
in  the  vicinity,  as  well  as  the  fugitives,  re- 
paired. In  the  mean  time  General  Putnam, 
with  the  remainder  of  his  command,  and  the 
ordinary  out-posts,  was  in  the  city.  After 
having  caused  the  brigades  to  begin  their  re- 
treat by  the  route  of  Bloomingdale,  in  order  to 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM. 

avoid  the  enemy,  who  were  then  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  main  road  leading  to  King's-bridge, 
he  galloped  to  call  off  the  pickets  and  guards. 
Having  myself  been  a  volunteer  in  his  division, 
and  acting  adjutant  to  the  last  regiment  that 
left  the  city,  I  had  frequent  opportunities,  that 
day,  of  beholding  him,  for  the  purpose  of  issu- 
ing orders,  and  encouraging  the  troops,  flying, 
on  his  horse  covered  with  foam,  wherever  his 
presence  was  most  necessary.  Without  his 
extraordinary  exertions,  the  guards  must  have 
been  inevitably  lost,  and  it  is  probable  the  en- 
tire corps  would  have  been  cut  in  pieces. — 
When  we  were  not  far  from  Bloomingdale,  an 
aid-de-camp  came  from  him  at  full  speed,  to 
inform  that  a  column  of  British  infantry  was 
descending  upon  our  right.  Our  rear  was  soon 
fired  upon,  and  the  colonel  of  pur  regiment, 
whose  order  was  just  communicated  for  the 
front  to  file  off  to  the  left,  was  killed  on  the  spot. 
With  no  other  loss  we  joined  the  army,  after 
dark,  on  the  Heights  of  Harlaem. 

Before  our  brigades  came  in,  we  were  given 
up  for  lost  by  all  our  friends.  So  critical  in- 
deed was  our  situation,  and  so  narrow  the  gap 
by  which  we  escaped,  that,  the  instant  we  had 
passed,  the  enemy  closed  it  by  extending  theft 
line  from  river  .to  river.  Our  men,  who  had 
been  fifteen  hours  under  arms,  harassed  by 
marching  and  countermarching,  in  consequence 
of  incessant  alarms,  exhausted  as  they  were  by 
heat  and  thirst,  (for  the  day  proved  insupport- 
6 


122  LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

ably  hot,  and  few  or  none  had  canteens,  inso- 
much, that  some  died  at  the  brooks  where  they 
drank,)  if  attacked,  could  have  made  but  feeble 
resistance. 

If  we  take  into  consideration  the  debilitating 
sickness  which  weakened  almost  all  our  troops, 
the  hard  duty  by  which  they  were  worn  down 
in  constructing  numberless  defences,  the  con- 
tinual want  oi  rest  they  had  suffered  since  the 
enemy  landed,  in  guarding  from  nocturnal  sur- 
prise, the  despondency  infused  into  their  minds 
by  an  -insular  situation^  and  a  consciousness  of 
inferiority  to  the  enemy  in  discipline,  together 
with  the  disadvantageous  terms  upon  which, 
in  their  state  of  separation,  they  might  have 
been  forced  to  engage,  it  appears  highly  proba- 
ble that  day  would  have  presented  an  easy  vic- 
tory to  the  British.  On  the  other  side,  the 
American  commander-in-chief  had  wisely  coun- 
tenanced an  opinion,  then  universally  credited, 
that  our  army  was  three  times  more  numerous 
than  it  was  in  reality.  It  is  not  a  subject  for 
astonishment,  that  the  British,  ignorant  of  the 
existing  circumstances,  imposed  upon  as  to  the 
numbers  by  reports,  and  recollecting  what  a 
lew  brave  men,  slightly  intrenched,  had  per- 
formed at  Bunker  Hill,  should  proceed  with 
great  circumspection.  For  their  reproaches, 
that  the  rebels,  as  they  affected  to  style  us, 
loved  digging  better  than  fighting,  and  that 
they  earthed  themselves  in  holes  like  foxes, 
but  ill  concealed  at  the  bottom  of  their  own 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  123 

hearts  the  profound  impression  that  action  had 
made.  Cheap  and  contemptible  as  we  had 
once  seemed  in  their  eyes,  it  had  taught  them 
to  hold  us  in  some  respect.  This  respect,  in 
conjunction  with  a  fixed  belief,  that  the  en- 
thusiastic spirit  of  our  opposition  must  soon 
subside,  and  that  the  inexhaustible  resources 
of  Britain  would  ultimately  triumph,  without 
leaving  any  thing  to  chance,  (not  the  avarice 
or  treachery  of  the  British  general,  as  the  fac- 
tious of  his  own  nation  wished  to  insinuate,) 
retarded  their  operation,  and  afforded  us  leisure 
to  rescue  from  annihilation  the  miserable  relics 
of  an  army,  hastening  to  dissolution  by  the  ex- 
piration of  enlistments,  and  the  country  itself 
from  irretrievable  subjugation.  IN  TRUTH,  WE 

ARE  NOT  LESS  INDEBTED  TO  THE  MATTOCK 
AT  ONE  PERIOD,  THAN  TO  THE  MUSKET  AT 
ANOTHER,  FOR  OUR  POLITICAL  SALVATION. 

It  required  great  talents  to  determine  when 
one  or  the  other  was  most  profitably  to  be  em- 
ployed. I  am  aware  how  fashionable  it  has 
become  to  compare  the  American  commander- 
in-chief,  for  the  prudence  displayed  in  those 
dilatory  and  defensive  operations,  so  happily 
prosecuted  in  the  early  stages  of  the  war,  to 
the  illustrious  Roman,  who  acquired  immor- 
tality in  restoring  the  commonwealth  by  delay. 
Advantageous  and  flattering  as  the  comparison 
at  first  appears,  it  will  be  found,  on  examina- 
tion, to  stint  the  American  Fabius  to  the 
^mailer  moiety  of  his  merited  fame.  Did  H  E 


124   LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

not,  in  scenes  of  almost  unparalleled  activity, 
discover  specimens  of  transcendent  abilities; 
and  might  it  not  be  proved,  to  professional 
men,  that  boldness  in  council,  and  rapidity  in 
execution,  were,  at  least,  equally  with  prudent 
procrastination,  and  the  quality  of  not  being 
compelled  to  action,  attributes  of  his  military 
genius  ?  This,  however,  was  an  occasion,  as 
apparent  as  pressing,  for  attaining  his  object 
by  delay.  From  that  he  had  every  thing  to 
gain,  nothing  to  lose.  Yet  there  were  not 
wanting  politicians,  AT  THIS  VERY  TIME, 
who  querulously  blamed  these  Fabian  mea- 
sures, and  loudly  clamoured  that  the  immense 
labour  and  expense  bestowed  on  the  fortifica- 
tion of  New-York,  had  been  thrown  away ; 
that  if  we  could  not  face  the  enemy  there  after 
so  many  preparations,  we  might  as  well  relin- 
quish the  contest  at  once,  for  we  could  no 
where  make  a  stand ;  and  that  if  General 
Washington,  with  an  army  of  sixty  thousand 
men,  strongly  intrenched,  declined  fighting 
with  Sir  William  Howe,  who  had  little  more 
than  one  third  of  that  number,  it  was  not  to  be, 
expected  he  would  find  any  other  occasion  that 
might  induce  him  to  engage.  But  General 
Washington,  content  to  suffer  a  temporary  sa- 
crifice of  personal  reputation,  for  the  sake  of 
securing  a  permanent  advantage  to  his  coun- 
try, and  regardless  of  those  idle  clamours  for 
which  he  had  furnished  materials,  by  making 
his  countrymen,  in  order  the  more  effectually 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  125 

to  make  his  enemy  believe  his  force  much 
greater  than  it  actually  was,  inflexibly  pursued 
his  system,  and  gloriously  demonstrated  how 
poor  and  pitiful,  in  the  estimation  of  A  GREAT 
MIND,  are  the  censorious  strictures  of  those 
novices  in  war  and  politics,  who,  with  equal 
rashness  and  impudence,  presume  to  decide 
dogmatically  on  the  merit  of  plans  they  could 
neither  originate  or  comprehend ! 

That  night  our  soldiers,  excessively  fatigued 
by  the  sultry  march  of  the  day,  their  clothes 
wet  by  a  severe  shower  of  rain  that  succeeded 
towards  the  evening,  their  blood  chilled  by  the 
cold  wind  that  produced  a  sudden  change'  in 
the  temperature  of  the  air,  and  their  hearts 
sunk  within  them  by  the  loss  of  baggage,  artil- 
lery, and  works  in  which  they  had  been  taught 
to  put  great  confidence,  lay  upon  their  arms, 
covered  only  by  the  clouds  of  an  uncomforta- 
ble sky.  To  retrieve  our  disordered  affairs, 
and  prevent  the  enemy  from  profiting  by  them, 
no  exertion  was  relaxed,  no  vigilance  remitted, 
on  the  part  of  our  higher  officers.  The  regi- 
ments which  had  been  least  exposed  to  fatigue 
that  day,  furnished  the  necessary  pickets  to 
secure  the  army  from  surprise.  Those  whose 
military  lives  had  been  short  and  unpractised, 
felt  enough  besides  lassitude  of  body  to  disquiet 
the  tranquillity  of  their  repose.  Nor  had  those 
who  were  older  in  service,  and  of  more  expe- 
rience, any  subject  for  consolation.  '  The 
warmth  of  enthusiasm  seemed  to  be  extin- 


LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

guished.  The  force  of  discipline  had  not  suf- 
ficiently occupied  its  place  to  give  men  a  de- 
pendence upon  each  other.  We  were  appa- 
rently about  to  reap  the  bitter  fruits  of  that 
jealous  policy,  which  some  leading  men,  with 
the  best  motives,  had  sown  in  our  federal 
councils,  when  they  caused  the  mode  to  be 
adopted,  for  carrying  on  the  war  by  detach- 
ments of  militia,  from  apprehension  that  an 
established  continental  army,  after  defending 
the  country  against  foreign  invasion,  might 
subvert  its  liberties  themselves.  Paradoxical 
as  it  will  appear,  it  may  be  profitable  to  be 
known  to  posterity,  that  while  our  very  exist- 
ence as  an  independent  people  was  in  question, 
the  patriotic  jealousy  for  the  safety  of  our  fu- 
ture freedom  had  been  carried  to  such  a  vir- 
tuous but  dangerous  excess,  as  well  nigh  to 
preclude  the  attainment  of  our  independence. 
Happily  that  limited  and  hazardous  system 
soon  gave  room  to  one  more  enlightened  and 
salutary.  This  may  be  attributed  to  the  re- 
iterated arguments,  the  open  remonstrances, 
and  the  confidential  communications  of  the 
commander-in-chief ;  who,  though  not  apt  to 
despair  of  the  republic,  on  this  occasion  ex- 
pressed himself  in  terms  of  unusual  desponden- 
cy. He  declared,  in  his  letters,  that  he  found, 
to  his  utter  astonishment  and  mortification, 
that  no  reliance  could  be  placed  on  a  great  pro- 
portion of  his  present  troops,  and  that,  unless 
efficient  measures  for  establishing  a  permanent 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  127 

force  should  be  speedily  pursued,  we  had  every  . 
reason  to  fear  the  filial  ruin  of  our  cause. 

Next  morning  several  parties  of  the  enemy 
appeared  upon  the  plains  in  our  front.  On 
receiving  this  intelligence,  General  Washing- 
ton rode  quickly  to  the  outposts,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  preparing  against  an  attack,  if  the 
enemy  should  advance  with  that  design. 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Knowlton's  rangers,  a  fine 
selection  from  the  eastern  regiments,  who  had 
been  skirmishing  with  an  advanced  party, 
came  in,  and  informed  the  general  that  a 
body  of  British  were  under  cover  of  a  small 
eminence  at  no  considerable  distance.  His 
excellency,  willing  to  raise  our  men  from  their 
dejection  by  the  splendour  of  some  little  suc- 
cess ordered  Lieutenant-Colonel  Knowlton, 
with  his  rangers,  and  Major  Leitch,  with  three 
companies  of  Weedon's  regiment  of  Virgi- 
nians, to  gain  their  Fear;  while  appearances 
should  be  made  of  an  attack  in  front.  As 
soon  as  the  enemy  saw  the  party  sent  to  de- 
coy them,  they  ran  precipitately  down  the  hill, 
took  possession  of  some  fences  and  bushes,  and 
commenced  a  brisk  firing  at  long  shot.  Un- 
fortunately Knowlton  and  Leitch  made  their 
onset  rather  in  flank  than  in  rear.  The  enemy 
changed  their  front,  and  the  skirmish  at  once 
became  close  and  warm.  Major  Leitch*  hav- 
ing received  three  balls  through  his  side,  was 

*  Major  Leitch,  after  languishing  some  days,  died  of  a  locked 
jaw. 

I 


128    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

soon  borne  from  the  field  ;  and  Colonel  Knowl- 
ton,  who  had  distinguished  himself  so  gallant- 
ly at  the  battle  of  Bunker-Hill,  was  mortally 
wounded  immediately  after.  Their  men,  how- 
ever, undaunted  by  these  disasters,  stimulated 
with  the  thirst  of  revenge  for  the  loss  of  their 
leaders,  and  conscious  of  acting  under  the  eye 
of  the  Commander  in-chief,  maintained  the 
conflict  with  uncommon  spirit  and  perseve- 
rance. But  the  general  seeing  them  in  need  of 
support,  advanced  part  of  the  Maryland  regi- 
ments of  Griffith  and  Richardson,  together  with 
some  detachments  from  such  eastern  corps  as 
chanced  to  be  most  contiguous  to  the  place  of 
action.  Our  troops  this  day,  without  excep- 
tion, behaved  with  the  greatest  intrepidity.  So 
bravely  did  they  repulse  the  British,  that  Sir 
William  Howe  moved  his  reserve,  with  two 
field  pieces,  a  battalion  of  Hessian  grenadiers, 
and  a  company  of  Chasseurs,  to  succour  his 
retreating  troops.  General  Washington,  not 
willing  to  draw  on  a  general  action,  declined 
pressing  the  pursuit.  In  this  engagement  were 
the  second  and  third  battalions  of  light  infan- 
try, the  forty-second  British  regiment,  and  the 
German  Chasseurs,  of  whom  eight  officers, 
and  upwards  of  seventy  privates,  were  wound- 
ed, and  our  people  buried  nearly  twenty, 
who  were  left  dead  on  the  field.  We  had 
about  forty  wounded :  our  loss  in  killed,  ex 
cept  of  two  valuable  officers,  was  very  incon- 
siderable. 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  129 

An  advantage,*  so  trivial  in  itself,  produced, 
in  event,  a  surprising  and  almost  incredible  ef- 
fect upon  the  whole  army.  Amongst  the  troops 
not  engaged,  who,  during  the  action,  were 
throwing  earth  from  the  new  trenches,  with 
an  alacrity  that  indicated  a  determination  to 
defend  them,  every  visage  was  seen  to  bright- 
en, arid  to  assume,  instead  of  the  gloom  of  de- 
spair, the  glow  of  animation.  This  change, 
no  less  sudden  than  happy,  left  little  room  to 
doubt  that  the  men,  who  ran  the  day  before  at 
the  sight  of  an  enemy,  would  now,  to  wipe 
away  the  stain  of  that  disgrace,  and  to  recover 
the  confidence  of  their  general,  have  conduct- 
ed themselves  in  a  very  different  manner. 
Some  alteration  was  made  in  the  distribution 


*  A  transcript  from  General  Washington's  Public  Orders  of 
the  seventeenth  will,  better  than  any  other  document  that 
could  be  adduced,  show  his  sentiment  on  the  conduct  of  the 
two  preceding  days,  and  how  fervently  he  wished  to  foster  the 
good  dispositions  discovered  on  the  last. 

"ORDERS. 

"  Head- Quarters,  Harlaem  Heights,  September  17,  1776. 
"  Parole,  Leilch.     Countersign,  Virginia. 

"The  General  most  heartily  thanks  the  troops  commanded 
yesterday  by  Major  Leitch,  who  first  advanced  upon  the -ene- 
my, and  the  others  who  so  resolutely  supported  them.  The 
behaviour  yesterday  was  such  a  contrast  to  that  of  some  of 
the  troops  the  day  before,  as  must  show  what  may  be  done, 
where  officers  and  soldiers  will  exert  themselves.  Once  more, 
therefore,  the  General  calls  upon  officers  and  men,  to  act  up 
to  the  noble  cause  in  which  they  are  engaged,  and  to  support 
the  honour  and  liberties  of  their  country. 

"The  gallant  and  brave  Colonel  Knowlton,  who  would  have 
been  an  honour  to  any  country,  having  fallen  yesterday,  while 
gloriously  fighting,  Captain  Brown  is  to  take  the  command  of 
the  party  lately  led  by  Colonel  Knowlton.  Officers  and  men 
are  to  obey  him  accordingly." 
6* 


130    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

of  corps,  to  prevent  the  British  from  gaining 
either  flank  in  the  succeeding  night.  General 
Putnam,  who  commanded  on  the  right,  was 
directed  in  orders,  in  case  the  enemy  should 
attempt  to  force  the  pass,  to  apply  for  a  re-en- 
forcement to  General  Spencer,  who  command- 
ed on  the  left. 

General  Putnam,  who  was  too  good  a  hus- 
bandman himself  not  to  have  a  respect  for  the 
labours  and  improvements  of  others,  strenuous- 
ly seconded  the  views  of  the  Commander-in- 
chief  in  preventing  the  devastation  of  farms, 
and  the  violation  of  private  property.  For  un- 
der pretext  that  the  property  in  this  quarter  be- 
longed to  friends  to  the  British  government,  as 
indeed  it  mostly  did,  a  spirit  of  rapine  and  li- 
centiousness began  to  prevail,  which,  unless 
repressed  in  the  beginning,  foreboded,  besides 
the  subversion  of  discipline,,  the  disgrace  and 
defeat  of  our  arms. 

Our  new  defences  now  becoming  so  strong 
as  not  to  admit  insult  with  impunity,  and  Sir 
William  Howe,  not  choosing  to  place  too  much 
at  risk  in  attacking  us  in  front,  on  the  12th 
day  of  October,  leaving  Lord  Percy  with  one 
Hessian  and  two  British  brigades,  in  his  lines 
at  Harlaem,  to  cover  New  York,  embarked 
with  the  main  body  of  his  army,  with  an  in- 
tention of  landing  at  Throg's  Neck,  situated 
near  West-Chester,  and  little  more  than  a 
league  above  the  communication  called  King's- 
bridge,  which  connects  New  York  Island  with 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  131 

the  main.  There  was  nothing  to  oppose  him : 
and  he  effected  his  debarkation  by  nine  o'clock 
in  the  morning1.  .  The  same  policy  of  keeping 
our  army  as  compact  as  possible ;  the  same 
system  of  avoiding  being  forced  to  action  ;  and 
the  same  precaution  to  prevent  the  interruption 
of  supplies,  re-enforcements  or  retreat,  that  late- 
ly dictated  the  evacuation  of  New  York,  now  • 
induced  General  Washington  to  move  towards 
the  strong  grounds  in  the  upper  part  of  West- 
Chester  county. 

General  Putnam  was  with  the  army  at 
White-Plains,  and  took  part  in  the  action 
fought  there  the  28th  of  October.  It  was  the 
position  of  Brigadier-General  M'Dougal  which 
was  attacked,  and  Washington  ordered  a  de- 
tachment of  the  army  under  Major-General 
Putnam  to  support  him.  Some  days  after  this 
action,  General  Putnam  was  ordered  to  cross 
the  Hudson,  and  provide  against  an  irruption 
of  the  enemy  into  New  Jersey.  He  was  soon 
followed  by  Washington  with  part  of  his  ar- 
my, which  took  post  in  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Lee, 
and,  after  the  fall  of  that  Fort,  General  Putnam 
was  constantly  about  his  person  during  the 
whole  retreat  through  New  Jersey,  and  among 
the  last  of  the  fugitive  army  which  crossed  the 
Delaware.  He  was  then  ordered  to  Philadel- 
phia to  fortify  and  defend  that  city,  which  Con- 
gress had  ordered  to  be  defended  to  the  last  ex- 
tremity. 

Without  stopping  to  dilate  on  the  subsequent 
M 


132    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

incidents,  that  might  swell  a  folio,  though  here 
compressed  to  a  single  paragraph  ;  without  at- 
tempting to  give  in  detail  the  skilful  retrograde 
movements  of  our  Commander-in-chief,  who, 
after  detaching  a  garrison  for  Fort  Washing- 
ton, by  pre-occupying  with  extemporaneous  re- 
doubts and  intrenchments,  the  ridges  from 
Mile-Square  to  White-Plains,  and  by  folding 
one  brigade  behind  another,  in  rear  of  those 
ridges  that  run  parallel  with  the  Sound, 
brought  off  all  his  artillery,  stores,  and  sick,  in 
the  race  of  a  superior  foe ;  without  comment- 
ing on  the  partial  and  equivocal  battle  fought 
near  the  last  mentioned  village,  or  the  cause 
why  the  British,  then  in  full  force,  (for  the  last 
of  the  Hessian  infantry  and  British  light-horse 
had  just  arrived,)  did  not  more  seriously  en- 
deavour to  induce  a  general  engagement ; 
without  journalizing  their  military  manoeuvres 
in  falling  back  to  King's-bridge,  capturing  Fort 
Washington,  Fort  Lee,  and  marching  through 
the  Jerseys ;  without  enumerating  the  instan- 
ces of  rapine,  murder,  lust,  and  devastation, 
that  marked  their  progress,  and  filled  our  bo- 
soms with  horror  and  indignation  ;  without  de- 
scribing how  a  division  of  our  dissolving  army, 
with  General  Washington,  was  driven  before 
them  beyond  the  Delaware  ;  without  painting 
the  naked  and  forlorn  condition  of  these  much 
injured  men,  amidst  the  rigours  of  an  inclement 
season ;  and  without  even  sketching  the  con- 
sternation that  seized  the  States  at  this  perilous 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  133 

period,  when  General  Lee,  in  leading  from  the 
north  a  small  re-enforcement  to  our  troops,  was 
himself  taken  prisoner  by  surprise  ;  when  eve- 
ry thing,  seemed  decidedly  declining  to  the  last 
extremity,  and  when  every  prospect  but  served 
to  augment  the  depression  of, despair — until  the 
genius  of .  one  man,  in  one  day,  .at  a  single 
stroke,  wrested  from  the  veteran  battalions  of 
Britain  and  Germany  the  fruits  acquired  by  the 
, total  operations  of  a  successful  campaign,  and 
re-animated  the  expiring  hope  of  a  whole  na- 
tion, by  the  glorious  enterprise  at  Trenton. 

While  the  hostile  forces,  rashly  inflated  with 
pride  by  a  series  of  uninterrupted  successes, 
and  fondly  dreaming  that  a  period  would  soon 
be  put  to  their  labours,  by  the  completion  of 
their  conquests,  had  been  pursuing  the  wretch- 
ed remnants  of  a  disbanded  army  to  the  banks 
of  the  Delaware,  General  Putnam  was  diligent- 
ly employed  in  fortifying  Philadelphia,  the  cap- 
ture of  which  appeared  indubitably  to  be  their 
principal  object.  Here,  by  authority  and  ex- 
ample, he  strove  to  conciliate  contending  fac- 
tions, and  to  excite  the  citizens  to  uncommon 
efforts  in  defence  of  every  thing  interesting  to 
freemen.  His  personal  industry  was  unparal- 
leled. His  orders,*  with  respect  to  extinguish- 

*  As  a  specimen,  the  following  is  preserved  : 

"GENERAL  ORDERS. 

"  Head-  Quarters,  Philadelphia,  December  14,  1776. 

"Colonel    Griffin   is   appointed   Adjutant-General   to  the 

troops  m  and  about  this  city.    All  orders  from  the  General, 


134    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

ing  accidental  fires,  advancing  the  public 
works,  as  well  as  in  regard  to  other  important 
objects,  were  perfectly  military  and  proper. 
But  his  health  was,  for  a  while,  impaired  by  his 
unrelaxed  exertions. . 

The  Commander-in-chief,  having  in  spite  of  all 
obstacles,  made  good  his  retreat  over  the  Dela- 
ware, wrote  to  General  Putnam  from  his  camp 
above  the  falls  of  Trenton,  on  the  very  day  he 
re-crossed  the  river  to  surprise  the  Hessians, 
expressing  his  satisfaction  at  the  re-establish- 
ment of  that  General's  health,  and  informing; 
that  if  he  had  not  himself  been  well  convinced 
before,  of  the  enemy's  intention  to  possess 
themselves  of  Philadelphia,  as  soon  as  the  frost 
should  form  ice  strong  enough  to  transport  them 
and  their  artillery  across  the  Delaware,  he  had 
now  obtained  an  intercepted  letter,  which  placed 
the  matter  beyond  a  doubt.  He  added,  that  if 
the  citizens  of  Philadelphia  had  any  regard  for 
the  town,  not  a  moment's  time  \vas  to  be  lost 
until  it  should  be  put  in  the  best  possible  pos- 
ture of  defence  ;  but  lest  that  should  not  be 

through  him,  either  written  or  verbal,  are  to  be  strictly  attend- 
ed to  and  punctually  obeyed. 

"  In  case  of  an  alarm  of  fire,  the  city  guards  and  patroles 
are  to  suffer  the  inhabitants  to  pass,  unmolested,,  at  any  hour 
of  the  night ;  and  the  good  people  of  Philadelphia  are  earnestly 
requested  and  desired  to  give  every  assistance  in  their  power, 
with  engines  and  buckets,  to  extinguish  the  fire.  And  as  the 
C9ngress  have  ordered  the  city  to  be  defended  to  the  last  extre- 
mity, the  General  hopes  that  no  person  will  refuse  to  give  every 
assistance  possible  to  complete  the  fortifications  that  are  to  be 
erected  in  and  about  the  city. 

1  ISRAEL  PUTNAM." 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  135 

done,  he  directed  the  removal  of  all  public 
stores,  except  provisions  necessary  for  imme- 
diate use,  to  places  of  greater  security.  He 
queried  whether,  if  a  party  of  militia  could  be 
sent  from  Philadelphia  to  support  those  in  the 
Jerseys,  about  Mount  Holly,  it  would  not  serve 
to  save  them  from  submission?  At  the  same 
time  he  signified,  as  his  opinion,  the  expediency 
of  sending  an  active  and  influential  officer  to 
inspirit  the  people,  to  encourage  them  to  assem- 
ble-in arms,  as  well  as  to  keep  those  alrea'dy  in 
.  arms  from  disbanding ;  .and  concluded  by  mani- 
festing a  wish  that  Colonel  Forman,  whom  he 
desired  to  see  for  this  purpose,  might  be  employ- 
ed on  the  service. 

The  enemy  had  vainly,  as  incautiously,  ima-, 
gined,  that  to  overrun  was  to  conquer.  They 
had  even  carried  their  presumption  on  our 
extreme  weakness,  and  expected  submission,  so 
far,  as  to  attempt  covering  the  country  through 
\vhich  they  had  marchecl,  with  an  extensive 
chain  of  cantonments.  That  link,  which  the 
post  at  Trenton  supplied,  consisted  of  a  Hessian 
brigade  of  infantry,  a  company  of  chasseurs,  a 
squadron  of  light  dragoons,  and  six  field  pieces. 
At  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  twenty- 
sixth  of  December,  General  Washington,  with 
twenty-four  hundred  men,  came  upon  them, 
after  they  had  paraded,  took  one  thousand 
prisoners,  and  re-passed  the  same  day,  without 
loss,  to  his  encampment.  As  soon  as  the  troops 
were  recovered  from  their  excessive  fatigue. 


136    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

General  Washington  re-crossed  a  second  time 
to  Trenton.  On  the  second  of  January,  Lord 
Cornwallis,  witrTthe  bulk  of  the  British  army, 
advanced  upoti  him,  cannonaded  his  post,  and 
offered  him  battle :  tout  the  two  armies  being 
separated  by  the  interposition  of  Trenton 
Creek,  General  Washington  had  it  in  his  option 
to  decline  an  engagement,  which  he  did  for  the 
sake  of  striking  the  masterly,  stroke  .that  he 
then  meditated.  Having  kindled  frequent  fires 
around  his  camp,  posted  faithful  men  'to  keep 
them  burning,  and  advanced  sentinels,  whose 
fidelity  might  be  relied  upon,  he  decamped  si- 
lently after  dark,  and,  by  a  circuitous  route, 
reached  Princeton  at  nine  o'clock  the  next 
morning.  The  noise  of  the  firing,  by  which 
he  killed  and  captured  between  five  and  six 
hundred  of  the  British  brigade  in  that  town, 
was  the  first  notice  Lord  Cornwallis  had  of 
this  stolen  march.  General  Washington,  the 
project  successfully  accomplished,  instantly 
filed  off  for  the  mountainous  grounds  of  Mor- 
risUnyn.  Meanwhile,  his  Lordship,  who  arrived, 
by  a  forced  march,  at  Princeton,  just  as  he  had 
left  it,  finding  the  Americans  could  not  be  over- 
taken, proceeded,  without  halting,  to  Brunswick. 
On  the  fifth  of  January,  1777,  from  Plucke- 
min,  General  Washington  despatched  an  ac- 
count of  this  second  success  to  General  Put 
nam,  and  ordered  him  to  move  immediately, 
with  all  his  troops,  to  Croswick's,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  co-operating  in  recovering  the  Jerseys  ; 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  137 

( 

an  event  which  the  present  fortunate  juncture, 
while  the  enemy  were  yet  panic-struck,  appear- 
ed to  promise.  The  General  cautioned  him, 
however,  if  the  enemy  should  still  continue  at 
.  Brunswick,  to  guard  with  great  circumspection 
against  a  surprise  ;  especially  as  they,  having 
recently  suffered  by  two  attacks,  could  scarcely 
avoid  being  edged  with  resentment  to  attempt 
retaliation.  His  Excellency  farther  advised 
him  to  give  out  his  strength  to-  be  twice  .as 
great  as  it  was  ;  to  forward  on  all  the  baggage 
and  scattering  men  belonging  to  the  division 
destined  for  Morristown  ;  to  employ  as  many 
spies  as  he  should  think  proper  ;  to  keep  a 
number  of  horsemen,  in  the  dress  of  the  coun- 
try, going  constantly  backwards  and  forwards 
on  the  same  secret  service  ;  and  lastly,  if  he 
should  discover  any  intention  or  motion  of  the 
enemy  that  could  be  depended  up'on,  and  might 
be  of  consequence,  not  to  fail  in  conveying  the 
intelligence,  as  rapidly  as  possible  by  express, 
to  head  quarters.  Major-General  Putnam  was 
directed,  soon  after,  to  take  post  at  Princeton, 
where  he  continued  until  the  spring.  He  had 
never  with  him  more  than  a  few  hundred 
troops,  though  h,e  was  only  at  fifteen  miles  dis- 
tance from  theenemy's  strong  garrison  of  Bruns- 
wick. At  one  period,  from  a  sudden  diminu- 
tion, occasioned  by  the  tardiness  of  the  militia 
turning  out  to  replace  those  whose  time  of  ser- 
vice was  expired,  he  had  fewer  men  for  duty 
than  he  had  miles  of  frontier  to  guard.  Nor 


138    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

was  the  Commander-in-chief  in  a  more  eligible 
situation.  It  is  true,  that  while  he  had  scarcely 
the  semblance  of  an  army,  under  the  specious 
parade  of  a  park  of  artillery,  and  the  imposing 
appearance  of  his  head  quarters,  established  at 
Morristown,  he, kept  up,  in  the  eyes  of  his 
countrymen,  as  well  as  in  the  opinion  of  his 
enemy,  the  appearance  of  no  contemptible 
force.  Future  generations  will  find  difficulty 
in  conceiving,  now  a  handful  of  new  levied 
men  and  militia,  who  were  necessitated  to  be 
inoculated  for  the  small  pox  in  the  course  of  the 
winter,  could  be  subdivided  and  posted  so 
advantageously,  as  effectually  to  protect  the 
inhabitants,  confine  the  enemy,  curtail  their 
forage,  and  beat  up  their  quarters,  without 
sustaining  a  single  disaster. 

In  the  battle  of  Princeton,  Captain  M'Pher- 
son,  of  the  1 7th  British  regiment,  a  very  worthy 
Scotchman,  was  desperately  wounded  in  the 
lungs,  and  left  with  the  dead.  Upon  General 
Putnam's  arrival  there,  he  found  him  languish- 
ing in  extreme  distress,  without  a  surgeon,  with- 
out a  single  accommodation,  and  without  a  friend 
to  solace  the  sinking  spirit  in  the  gloomy  hour 
of  death.  He  visited,  and  immediately  caused 
every  possible  comfort  to  be  administered  to  him. 
Captain  M'Pherson,  who,  contrary  to  all  appear- 
ances, recovered,  after  having  demonstrated  to 
General  Putnam  the  dignified  sense  of  obliga- 
tions, which  a  generous  mind  wishes  not  to 
conceal,  one  day,  in  familiar  conversation, 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  139 

demanded,  "  Pray,  Sir,  what  countryman  are 
you."  "An  American,"  answered  the  latter.— 
"Not  a  Yankee?"  said  the  other. — "A  full 
'blooded  one,"  replied  the  General.  "  By  G — d, 
I  arn  sorry  for  that,"  rejoined  M'Pberson^ "  I 
did  not  think  there  could  be  so  much  goodness 
and  generosity  in  an  American,  or,  indeed,  in 
any  body  but  a  Scotchman." 

While  die  recovery  of  Captain  M'Pherson 
was  doubtful,  he  desired  that  General  Putnam 
would  permit  a  friend  in  the  British  army  at 
Brunswick,  to  come  and  assist  him  in  making 
HIS  WILL.  General  Putnam,  who  had  then 
only  fifty  men  in  his  whole  command,  was  sadly 
embarrassed  by  the  proposition.  On  the  one 
hand,  he  was  not  content  that  a  British  officer 
should  have  an  opportunity  to  spy  out  the 
weakness  of  his  post ;  on  the  other,  it  wa's 
scarcely  in  his  nature  to  refuse  complying  with 
a  dictate  of  humanity.  He  luckily  bethought 
himself  of  an  expedient,  which  he  hastened  to 
put  in  practice.  A  flag  of  truce  was  despatched 
with  Captain  M'Pherson's  request,  but  under 
an  injunction  not  to  return  with  his  friend  until 
after  dark.  In  the  evening,  lights  were  placed 
in  all  the  rooms  of  the  College,  and  in  every 
apartment  of  the  vacant  houses  throughout 
the  town.  During  the  whole  night,  the  fifty 
men,  sometimes  altogether,  and  sometimes  in 
small  detachments,  were  marched  from  different 
quarters,  by  the  house  in  which  M'Pherson  lay. 
Afterwards  it  was  known,  that  the  officer  who 


140  LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

came  on  the  visit,  at  Jtiis  return,  reported  that 
General  Putnam's  army,  upon  the  most  mo- 
derate calculation,  could  not  consist  of  less  than 
four  or  five  thousand  men. 

This  winter's  campaign,  for  our  troops  con- 
stantly kept  tlie  field  after  regaining  a  footing 
in  the  JerSeys,  has  never  yet  been  faithfully 
and  feelingly  described.  The  sudden  restora- 
tion of  pur  cause  from  the  very  verge  of  ruin, 
was  intenVoven  with  such  a  tissue  of  inscruta- 
ble causes  and  extraordinary  events,  that,  fear- 
ful of  doing  the  subject  greater  injustice,  by  a 
passing  disquisition,  than  a  purposed  silence,  I 
leave  it  to  the  leisure  of  abler  pens.  The  ill 
policy  of  the  British  doubtless  contributed  to 
accelerate  this  event.  For  the  manner,  impoli- 
tic as  inhuman,  in  which  they  managed  their 
temporary  conquests,  tended  evidently  to  alien- 
ate the  affections  of  their  adherents,  to  con- 
firm the  wavering  in  an  opposite  interest,  to 
rouse  the  supine  into  activity,  to  assemble  the 
dispersed  to  the  standard  of  America,  and  to 
infuse  a  spirit  of  revolt  into  the  minds  of  those 
men  who  had,  from  necessity,  submitted  to 
their  power.  Their  conduct,  in  warring  with 
fire  and  sword  against  the  imbecility  of  youth, 
and  the  decrepitude  of  age ;  against  the  arts, 
the  sciences,  the  curious  inventions,  and  the 
elegant  improvements  in  civilized  life  ;,  against 
the  melancholy  widow,  the  miserable  orphan, 
the  peaceable  professor  of  humane  literature, 
nnd  the  sacred  minister  of  the  gospel,  seemed 


OF  MAJOR  GENERAL  PUTNAM.  141 

to  operate  as  powerfully,  as  if  purposely  intend- 
ed to  kindle  the  dormant  spark  of  resistance 
into  an  inextinguishable  flame.  If  we  add  to  the 
black  catalogue  of  provocations  already  enu- 
merated, their  insatiable  rapacity  in  plundering 
friends  and  foes  indiscriminately;  their  libidi- 
nous brutality  in  violating  the  chastity  of  the 
female  sex;  their  more  than  Gothic  rage  in 
defacing  private  writings,  public  records,  libra- 
ries of  learning,  dwellings  of  individuals, 
edifices  for  e'ducation,  and  temples  of  the  Deity ; 
together  with  their  insufferable  ferocity,  unpre- 
cedented indeed  among  civilized  nations,  in 
murdering  on  the  field  of  battle  the  wounded, 
while  begging  for  mercy,  in  causing  their  pri- 
soners to  famish  with  hunger  and  cold  in 
prisons  and  prison  ships,  and  in  carrying  their 
malice  beyond  death  itself,  by  denying  the 
decent  rites  of  sepulture  to  the  dead  ;  we  shall 
not  be  astonished  that  the  yeomanry  in  the  two 
Jerseys,  when  the  first  glimmering  of  hope 
began  to  break  in  upon  them,  rose  as  one  man, 
with  the  unalterable  resolution  to  perish  in  the 
generous  cause,  or  expel  their  merciless  inva- 
ders. 

The  principal  officers,  stationed  at  a  variety 
of  well  chosen,  and  at  some  almost  inaccessi- 
ble positions,  seemed  all  to  be  actuated  by  the 
same  soul,  and  only  to  vie  with  each  other  in 
giving  proofs  of  vigilance,  enterprise,  and  va- 
lour. From  what  has  been  said  respecting  the 
scantiness  of  our  aggregate  force,  it  will  be 


142  LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

concluded,  that  the  number  of  men,  under  the 
orders  of  each,  was  indeed  very  small.  But 
the  uncommon  alertness  of  the  troops,  who 
were  incessantly  hovering  round  the  enemy  in 
scouts,  and  the  constant  communication  they 
kept  between  the  several  stations  most  conti- 
guous to  each  other,  agreeably  to  the  instruc- 
tions* of  the  general-in-chief,  together  with 
their  readiness  in  giving,  and  confidence  of  re- 
ceiving such  reciprocal  aid  as  the  exigencies 
might  require,  served  to  supply  the  defeat,  of 
force. 

This  manner  of  doing  duty  not  only  put  our 
own  posts  beyond  the  reach  of  sudden  insult 
and  surprise,  but  s»»  exceedingly  harassed  and 

•  "me ;  annexed  r.riraie  orders  to  Lord  Stirling  Will  show,  in 

laconic  and  military  manner,  the  system  of  service  then 
pursued : 

"To  Brigadier-General  Lord  STIRLING. 
"  MY  LORD, 

"You  are  to  repair  to  Baskenridge,  and  take  upon  you  the 
command  of  the  troops  now  there,  and  such  as  may  be  sent  to 
rour  care. 

"You  are  to  endeavour,  as  much  as  possible,  to  harass  and 
annoy  the  enemy,  by  keeping  scouting  parties  constantly,  or 
as  frequently  as  possible,  around  their  quarters. 

"As  you  will  be  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Generals  Dicken- 
son  and  Warner,  I  recommend  it  to  you  to  keep  up  a  corres- 
pondence with  them,  and  endeavour  to  regulate  your  parties 
fey  theirs,  so  as  to  have  some  constantly  out. 

"  L'ec  every  means  in  your  power  to  obtain  intelligence  from 
i'ue  wuemy ;  which  may  possibly  be  better  effected  by  engaging 
borne  of  those  people  who  have  obtained  protections,  to  go  in, 
under  pretence  of  asking  advice,  than  by  any  other  means. 

"  You  will  also  use  every  means  in  your  power  to  obtain  and 
communicate  the  earliest  accpunts  of  the  enemy's  movements; 
and  to  assemble,  in  the  speediest  manner  possible,  your  troops 
either  for  offence  or  defence. 

"  Given  at  head-quarters,  the  fourth  day  of  Feb.,  1777. 
"  GEORGE  WASHINGTON." 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  143 

intimidated  the  enemy,  that  foragers  were  sel- 
dom sent  out  by  them,  and  never  except  in 
very  large  parties.  General  Dickenson,  who 
commanded  on  General  Putnam's  left,'  disco- 
vered, about  the  20th  of  January,  a  foraging 
party,  consisting  of  about  four  hundred  men, 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Mill-stone^  two 
miles  from  Somerset  court-house.  As  the 
bridge  was  possessed  and  defended  by  three 
field-pieces,  so  that  it  could  not  be  passed,  Ge- 
neral Dickenson,  at  the  head  of  four  hundred 
militia,  broke  the  ice,  crossed  the  river  where 
the  water  was  about  three  feet  deep,  resolutely 
attacked,  and  totally  defeated  the  foragers. 
Upon  their  abandoning  the  convoy,  a  few  pri- 
soners, forty  wagons,  and  more  than  a  hundred 
draft  horses,  with  a  considerable  booty  of  cattle 
and  sheep,  fell  into  his  hands. 

Nor  were  our  operations  on  General  Put- 
nam's right  flank  less  fortunate.  To  give  coun- 
tenance to  the  numerous  friends  of  the  British 
government  in  the  county  of  Monmouth  ap- 
pears to  have  been  a  principal  motive  with 
Sir  William  Howe  for  stretching  the  chain  of 
his  cantonments,  by  his  own  confession,*  pre- 

*  Extrnet  of  a  Letter  from  General  Sir  WILLIAM  HOWE  to 

Lord  GEOkGE  GERMAINE,  dated  Ne~x-  York,  December  20, 

1776. 

Having  mentioned  the  fruitless  attempt  of  Lord  Cornwallis 
to  find  boats  at  Corryel's  ferry  to  pass  the  Delaware — he  pro- 
ceeds thus : 

"  The  passage  of  the  Delaware  being  thus  rendered  imprac- 
ticable, his  lordship  took  post  at  Pennington,  in  which  place 
and  Trenton  the  two  divisions  remained  until  the  fourteenth, 
when  the  weather  having  become  loo  severe  to  keep  the  field. 
N 


14-1    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

viously  to  his  disaster,  rather  too  far.  After 
that  chain  became  broken,  as  I  have  already 
related,  by  the  blows  at  Trenton  and  Prince- 
ton, he  was  obliged  to  collect,  during  the  rest 
of  the  winter,  the  useless  remains  in  his  bar- 
racks at  Brunswick.  In  the  meantime,  Gene- 
ral Putnam  was  much  more  successful  in  his 
attempts  to  protect  our  dispersed  and  dispirited 
friends  in  'the  same  district ;  who,  environed 
on  every  side  by  envenomed  adversaries,  re- 
mained inseparably  riveted  in  affection  to 
American  independence.  He  first  detached 
Colonel  Gurney,  and  aftei  wards  Major  Davis,* 
with  such  parties  01  iniima  as  could  be  spared, 
<br  their  support.  Several  skirmishes  ensued, 
m  which  oiu  people  had  always  the  advantage. 

jnd  the  winter  cantonments  being  arranged,  the  troops  march- 
ed from  both  places  to  their  respective  stations.  The  chain,  I 
own,  is  rather  too  extensirc,  but  I  was  induced  to  occupy  Bur- 
lington to  cover  the  county  of  Monmoulh,  in  which  there  are 
i.innv  loyal  inhabitants;  and  trusting  to  the  almost  general 
'  •utitnission  of  the  country  to  the  southward  of  this  chain,  and 
iw  me  strength  of  the  corps  placed  in  the  advanced  posts,  I 
conclude  the  troops  will  be  in  perfect  security." 

'•"  there  happened  to  he  in  my  possession  a  copy  of  one 
«».hia  letters  to  those  officers,  it  was  thought 'worthy  of  inser- 
tion Here,  in  order  to  demonstrate  his  satisfaction  with  their 
conduct. 
"  To  Major  JOHN  DAVIS,  of  the  ihird  battalion  of  Cumberland 

County  Militia. 
41  SIB, 

'I  am  much  obliged  to  you  for  your  activity,  vigour,  and 
diligence,  since  you  have  been  under  my  command ;  you  will, 
therefore,  march  your  men  to  Philadelphia,  and  there  dis- 
charge them;  returning  into  the  store  all  the  ammunition, 
arms,  and  accoutrements,  you  received  at  that  place. 

I  am,  sir,  your  humble  servant, 

fl ISRAEL  PUTNAM. 
"  Princeton,  February  5,  1777." 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  145 

They  took,  at  different  times,  many  prisoners, 
horses,  and  wagons,  from  foraging  parties.  In 
effect,  so  well  did  they  cover  the  country,  as  to 
induce  some  of  the  most  respectable  inhabi- 
tants to  declare,  that  the  security  of  the  per 
sons,  as  well  as  the  salvation  of  the  property 
of  many  friends  to  freedom,  was  owing  to  the 
spirited  exertions  of  these  two  detachments ; 
who,  at  the  same  time  that  they  rescued  the 
country  from  the  tyranny  of  tories,  afforded  an- 
opportunity  for  the  militia  to  recover  from  their 
consternation,  to  embody  themselves  in  warlike 
array,  and  to  stand  on  their  defence. 

During  this  period,  General  Putnam  having 
received  unquestionable  intelligence  that  a  party 
of  refugees,  in  British  pay,  had  taken  post,  and 
were  erecting  a  kind  of  redoubt  at  Lawrence's 
Neck,  sent  Colonel  Nelson,  with  one  hundred 
and  fifty  militia,  to  surprise  them.  That  officer 
conducted  with  so  much  secrecy  and  decision, 
as  to  take  the  whole  prisoners.  These  refu- 
gees* were  commanded  by  Major  Stockton,  be- 
longing to  Skinner's  brigade,  and  amounted  to 
sixty  in  number. 


*  Extract  of  a  Littler  from  General  PUTNAM  to  the  Council  of 
Safety  of  Pennsylvania,  dated  at  Princeton,  February  IS, 
1777. 

"  Yesterday  evening  Colonel  Nelson,  with  a  hundred  and 
fifty  mon,  at  Lawrence's  Neck,  attacked  sixty  men  of  Cort- 
iandt  Skinner's  brigade,  commanded  by  the  enemy's  HE 
NOWNEO  LAND  PILOT  Major  Richard  Stockton,  routed  them, 
and  took  the  wh  lie  prisoners — among  them  the  major,  a  cap 
tain,  and  three  r  ,baiterns,  with  seventy  stand  of  arms.  Fifty 
cf  tlic  Bedford  Pennsylvania  riflemen  be'umed  like  veteran.". 


146    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

A  short  time  after  this  event,  Lord  Cornwal- 
lis  sent  out  another  foraging  party  towards 
Bound  Brook.  General  Putnam,  having  re- 
ceived notice  from  his  emissaries,  detached  Ma- 
jor Smith,  with  a  few  riflemen,  to  annoy  the 
party,  and  followed  himself  with  the  rest  of  his 
force.  Before  he  could  come  up,  Major  Smith, 
who  had  formed  an  ambush,  attacked  the 
enemy,  killed  several  horses,  took  a  few  priso- 
ners and  sixteen  baggage-wagons,  without  sus- 
taining any  injury.  By  such  operations,  our 
hero,  in  the  course  of  the  winter,  captured 
nearly  a  thousand  prisoners. 

In  the  latter  part  of  February,  General 
Washington  advised  General  Putnam,  that,  in 
consequence  of  a  large  accession  of  strength 
from  New-York  to  the  British  army  at  Bruns- 
wick, it  was  to  be  apprehended  they  would 
soon  make  a  forward  movement  towards  the 
Delaware :  in  which  case,  the  latter  was  direct- 
ed to  cross  the  river  with  his  actual  force,  to 
assume  the  command  of  the  militia  who  might 
assemble,  to  secure  the  boats  on  the  west  side 
of  the  Delaware,  and  to  facilitate  the  passage 
of  the  rest  of  the  army.  But  the  enemy  aid 
not  remove  from  their  winter-quarters  until  the 
season  arrived  When  green  forage  could  be 
supplied.  In  the  intermediate  period,  the  cor- 
respondence on  the  part  of  General  Putnam 
with  the  Commander-in-chief  consisted  princi- 
pally of  reports  and  inquiries  concerning  the 
treatment  of  some  of  the  following  descriptions 


OP  MAJOR-GENERAL   PUTNAM.  147 

of  persons :  either  of  those  who  came  within 
our  lines  with  flags  and  pretended  flags,  or  who 
had  taken  protection  from  the  enemy,  or  who 
had  been  reputed  disaffected  to  our  cause,  or 
who  were  designed  to  be  comprehended  in  the 
American  proclamation,  which  required  th'at 
those  who  had  taken  protections  shtfuld  give 
them  to  the  nearest  American  officer,  or  go 
within  the  British  lines.  The  letters  of  his  Ex- 
cellency in  return,  generally  advisory,  were 
indicative  of  confidence  and  approbation. 

When  the  spring  had  now  so  far  advanced 
that  it  was  obvious  the  enemy  would  soon  take 
the  field,  the  Commander-in-chief,  after  desiring 
General  Putnam  to  give  the  officer  who  was 
to  relieve  him  at  Princeton,  all  the  information 
necessary  for  the  conduct  of  that  post,  appoint- 
ed that  general  to  the  command  of  a  separate 
army  in  the  Highlands  of  New- York.  • 

It  is  scarcely  decided,  from  any  documents 
yet  published,  whether  the  preposterous  plans 
prosecuted  by  the  British  generals  in  the  cam- 
paign of  1777,  were  altogether  the  result  of 
their  orders  from  home,  or  whether  they  partly 
originated  from  the  contingencies  of  the  mo- 
ment. The  system  which,  at  the  time,  tended 
to  puzzle  all  human  conjecture,  when  develop- 
ed, served  also  to  contradict  all  reasonable  cal- 
culation. Certain  it  is,  the  American  com- 
mander-in-chief  was,  for  a  considerable  time, 
so  perplexed  with  contradictory  appearances, 
that  he  knew  not  how  to  distribute  his  troops, 


148  LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

with  his  usual  discernment,  so  as  to  oppose  the 
enemy  with  equal  prospect  of  success  in  differ- 
ent parts.  The  gathering  tempests  menaced 
the  northern  frontiers,  the  posts  in  the  High- 
lands, and  the  city  of  Philadelphia ;  but  it  was 
still  doubtful  where  the  fury  of  the  storm  would 
fall.  At  one  time  Sir  William  Howe  was 
forcing  his  way  by  land  to  Philadelphia ;  at 
another,  relinquishing  the  Jerseys ;  at  a  third, 
facing  round  to  make  a  sudden  inroad ;  then 
embarking  with  all  the  forces  that  could  be 
spared  from  New- York ;  and  then  putting  out 
to  sea,  at  the  very  moment  when  General  Bur- 
goyne  hud  reduced  Ticonderoga,  and  seemed 
to  require  a  co-operation  in  another  quarter. 

On  our  side,  we  have  seen  that  the  old  con- 
tinental army  expired  with  the  year  1776  ; 
since  which,  invention  had  been  tortured  with 
expedient^,  and  zeal  with  efforts,  to  levy  ano- 
ther :  for  on  the  success  of  the  recruiting  ser- 
vice depended  the  salvation  of  the  country. 
The  success  was  such  as  not  to  puff  us  up  to 
presumption,  or  depress  us  to  despair.  The 
army  in  the  Jerseys,  under  the  orders  of  the 
general-in-chief,  consisted  of  all  the  troops 
raised  south  of  the  Hudson  ;  that  in  the  north- 
ern department,  of  the  New-Hampshire  bri- 
gade, two  brigades  of  Massachusetts,  and  the 
brigade  of  New- York,  together  with  some  irre- 
gular corps ;  and  that  in  the  Highlands,  of  the 
remaining  two  brigades  of  Massachusetts,  the 
Connecticut  line,  consisting  of  two  brigades, 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  149 

the  brigade  of  Rhode  Island,  and  one  regiment 
of  New- York.  Upon  hearing  of  the  loss  of 
Ticonderoga,  and  the  progress  of  the  British 
towards  Albany,  General  Washington  ordered 
the  northern  army  to  be  re-enforced  with  the 
two  brigades  of  Massachusetts,  then  in  the 
Highlands ;  and,  upon  finding  the  army  under 
his  immediate  command  out-numbered  by  that 
of  Sir  William  Howe,  which  had,  by  the  cir- 
cuitous route  of  the  Chesapeake,  invaded  Penn- 
sylvania, he  also  called  from  the  Highlands  one 
of  the  Connecticut  brigades,  and  that  of  Rhode 
Island,  to  his  own  assistance. 

In  the  neighbourhood  of  General  Putnam 
there  was  no  enemy  capable  of  exciting  alarms. 
The  army  left  at  New- York  seemed  only  de- 
signed for  its  defence.  In  it  were  several  en- 
tire corps,  composed  of  tories,  who  had  flocked 
to  the  British  standard.  There  was,  besides, 
a  band  of  lurking  miscreants,  not  properly  en- 
rolled, who  staid  chiefly  at  West  Chester ; 
from  whence  they  infested  the  country  between 
the  two  armies,  pillaged  the  cattle,  and  carried 
off  the  peaceable  inhabitants.  It  was  an  un- 
worthy policy  in  British  generals  to  patronize 
banditti.  The  whig  inhabitants  on  the  edge 
of  our  lines,  and  still  lower  down,  who  had 
been  plundered  in  a  merciless  manner,  delayed 
not  to  strip  the  tories  in  return.  People  most 
nearly  connected  and  allied  frequently  became 
most  exasperated  and  inveterate  in  malice. 
Then  the  ties  of  fellowship  were  broken — then 


150    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

friendship  itself  being  soured  to  enmity,  the 
mind  readily  gave  way  to  private  revenge,  un- 
controlled retaliation,  and  all  the  deforming 
passions  that  disgrace  humanity.  Enormities, 
almost  without  a  name,  were  perpetrated,  at 
the  description  of  which,  the  bosom,  not  frozen 
to  apathy,  must  glow  with  a  mixture  of  pity 
and  indignation.  To  prevent  the  predatory 
incursions  from  below,  and  to  cover  the  county 
of  West  Chester,  General  Putnam  detached 
from  his  head-quarters,  at  Peek's-Kill,  Meigs's 
regiment,  which,  in  the  course  of  the  campaign, 
struck  several  partizau  strokes,  and  achieved 
the  objects  for  which  it  was  sent,  lie  likewise 
took  measures,  without  noise  or  ostentation,  to 
secure  himself  from  being  surprised  and  carried 
within  the  British  lines  by  the  tories,  who  had 
formed  a  plan  for  the  purpose.  The  informa- 
tion of  this  intended  enterprise,  conveyed  to  him 
through  several  channels,  was  corroborated  by 
that  obtained  and  transmitted  by  tbe  Command- 
er-in-chief. 

It  was  not  wonderful  that  many  of  these  to- 
ries were  able,  undiscovered,  to  penetrate  far 
into  the  country,  and  even  to  go  with  letters 
or  messages  from  one  British  army  to  another. 
The  inhabitants  who  were  well  affected  to  the 
royal  cause,  afforded  tljem  every  possible  sup- 
port, and  their  own  knowledge  of  the  different 
routes  gave  them  a  farther  facility  in  perform- 
ing their  peregrinations.  Sometimes  the  most 
active  loyalists,  as  the  tories  wished  to  denomi- 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  151 

nate  themselves,  who  had  gone  into  the  British 
posts,  and  received  promises  of  commissions 
upon  enlisting  a  certain  number  of  soldiers, 
came  back  again  secretly  with  recruiting  in- 
structions. Sometimes  these,  and  others  who 
came  from  the  enemy  within  the  verge  of  our 
camps,  were  detected  and  condemned  to  death, 
in  conformity  to  the  usages  of  war.  But  the 
British  generals,  who  had  an  unlimited  supply 
of  money  at  their  command,  were  able  to  pay 
with  so  much  liberality,  that  emissaries  could 
always  be  found.  Still,  it  is  thought  that  the 
intelligence  of  the  American  commanders  was, 
at  least,  equally  accurate,  notwithstanding  the 
poverty  of  their  military  chest,  and  the  inability 
of  rewarding  mercenary  agents,  for  secret  ser- 
vices, in  proportion  to  their  risk  and  merit. 

A  person,  by  the  name  of  Palmer,  who  was 
a  lieutenant  in  the  tory  new  levies,  was  de- 
tected in  the  camp  at  Peek's  Kill.  Governor 
Tryon,  who  commanded  the  new  levies,  re- 
claimed him  as  a  British  officer,  represented  the 
heinous  crime  of  condemning  a  man  commis- 
sioned by  his  majesty,  and  threatened  vengeance 
in  case  he  should  be  executed.  General  Put- 
nam wrote  the  following  pithy  reply. 

"SIR, 

"  Nathan  Palmer,  a  lieutenant  in  your  king's 
service,  was  taken  in  my  camp  as  a  spy — he 
was  tried  as  a  spy — he  was  condemned  as  a 


152    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

spy — and  you  may  rest  assured,  sir,  he  shall  be 
hanged  as  a  spy. 

"  1  have  the  honour  to  be,  &c. 

"ISRAEL  PUTNAM. 
"  His  Excellency  Governor  TRYON. 
"  P.  S.  Afternoon.    He  is  hanged." 

Important  transactions  soon  occurred.  Not 
long  after  the  two  brigades  had  marched  from 
Peck's  Kill,  to  Pennsylvania,  a  re-enforcement 
arrived  at  New- York  from  Europe.  Appear- 
ances indicated  that  offensive  operations  would 
follow.  General  Putnam  having  been  reduced 
in  force  to  a  single  brigade  in  the  field,  and  a 
single  regiment  in  garrison  at  Fort  Montgo: 
mery,  repeatedly  informed  the  Commander-m- 
chief,  that  the  posts  committed  to  his  charge 
must,  in  all  probability,  be  lost,  in  case  an  at- 
tempt should  be  made  upon  them ;  and  that, 
circumstanced  as  he  was,  he  could  not  be  re- 
sponsible for  the  consequences.  His  situation 
was  certainly  -to  be  lamented ;  but  it  was  not 
in  the  power  of  the  Commander-in-chief  to  al- 
ter it,  except  by  authorizing  him  to  call  upon 
the  militia  for  aid— an  aid  always  precarious,' 
and  often  so  tardy,  as,  when  obtained,  to  be  of 
no  utility.  - 

On  the  fifth  of  October,  Sir  Henry  Clinton 
came  up  the  North  River  with  three  thousand 
men.  After  making  many  feints  to  mislead 
the  attention,  he  landed,  the  next  morning,  at 
Stony  Point,  and  commenced  his  march  over 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  153 

the  mountains  to  Fort  Montgomery.  Gover- 
nor Clinton,  an  active,  resolute,  and  intelligent 
ofiicer,  who  commanded  the  garrison,  upon 
being  apprised  of  the  movement,  despatched  a 
letter,  by  express,  to  General  Putnam  for  suc- 
cour. By  the  treachery  of  the  messenger,  the 
letter  miscarried.  General  Putnam,  .astonish- 
ed.  at  hearing  nothing  respecting  the  enemy, 
rode,  with  General  Parsons,  and  Colonel  Root, 
his  adjutant-general,  to  reconnoitre  them  at 
King's  Ferry.  In  the  mean-time,  at  five 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  Sir  Henry  Clinton's 
columns,  having  surmounted  the  obstacles  and 
barriers  of  nature,  descended  from  the  Thun- 
der-Hill, through  thickets  impassable  but  for 
light  trooos,  and"  attacked*  the  different  re- 

*  The  author  of  these  memoirs,  then  major  of  brigade  to  the 
first  Connecticut  brigade,  was  alone  at  head-quarters  when  the 
firing  began.  He  hastened  to  Colonel  Wyllys,  the  senior  of- 
ficer in  camp,  and  advised  him  to  despatch  all  the  men  not 
on  duty  to  Fort  Montgomery,  without  waiting  for  orders. 

.  About  five  hundred  men  marched  instantly  under  C9lonel 
Meigs;  and  the  author,  with  Dr.  Beardsley,  a  surgeon  in  the 

,  brigade,  rode,  at  fall  speed,  through  a  bye-path,  to  let  the  gar- 
rison knovy  that  a  re-enforoement  was  on  .its  march.  Not- 
withstanding all  die  haste  these  officers  made  to  and  over  the 
river,  the  fort  was  so  completely  invested  on  their  arrival,  that 
it  was  impossible  to  enter.  They  went  on  board  the  new  fri- 
gate which  lay  near  the  fortress,  and  had  the  misfortune  to  be 
idle,  though  not  unconcerned,  spectators  of  the  sunn.  They 
saw  the  minutest  actions  distinctly  when  the  works  were 
carried.  The  frigate,  after  receiving  several  platoons,  slipped 
her  cable,  and  proceeded  a  little  way  up  the. river;  but  the 
wind  and  tide  becoming  adverse,  the  crew  set  her  on  fire,  to 
prevent  her  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.-whose  ships 
were  approaching.  The  lowering  darkness  of  the  "night,  the 
profound  stillness  that  reigned,  the  interrupted  flashes  of  the 
flames  that  illuminated  the  waters,  the  lone  shadows  of  the 
cliffs  that  now  and  then  were  seen,  the  explosion  of  the  can- 
7* 


154    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

doubts.  The  garrison,  inspired  by  the  conduct 
of  their  leaders,  defended  the  works  with  dis- 
tinguished valour.  'But,  as  the  post  had  been 
designed  principally  to  prevent  the  passing  of 
ships,  and  as  an  assault  in  rear  had  not  been 
expected,  the  works  on  the  land  side  were  in- 
complete and  untenable.-  In  the  dusk  of  twi- 
light, the  British  entered  with  their  bayonets 
fixed.  Their  loss  was  inconsiderable.  Nor 
was  that  of  the  garrison  great.  Governor 
Clinton,  his  brother,  General  James  Clinton, 
Colonel  Dubois,  and  most  of  the  officers  and 
men,  effected  their  escape  under  cover  of  the 
thick  smoke  and  darkness  that  suddenly  pre- 
vailed. The  capture  of  this  fort  by  Sir  Henry 
Clinton,  together  with  the  consequent  removal 
of  the  chains  and  booms  that  obstructed  the 
navigation,  opened  a  passage  to  Albany,  and 
seemed  to  favour  a  junction  of  his  force  with 
that  of  General  Burgoyne.  But  the  latter 
having  been  compelled  to  capitulate  a  few  days 
after  this  event,  and  great  numbers  of  militia 
having  arrived  from  New-England,  the  suc- 
cessful army  returned  to  New- York;  yet  not 
before  a  detachment  from  it,  under  the  orders 
of  General  Vaughan,  had  burnt  the  defenceless 
town  of  Esopus,  and  several  scattering  build- 
ings on  the  banks  of  the  river. 

non  which  were  left  loaded  in  the  ship,  and  the  reverberating 
echo  which  resounded,  at  intervals,  between  the  stupendous 
mountains  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  composed  an  awful  night- 
piece  for  persons  prepared  by  the  preceding  scene,  to  contem- 
plate subjects  of  horrid  sublimity. 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  .PUTNAM.  155 

Notwithstanding  the  army  in  the  Highlands 
had  been  so  much  weakened,  for  the  sake  of 
strengthening  the  armies  in  other  quarters,  as 
to  have  occasioned  the  loss  of  Fort  Montgo- 
mery, yet  that  loss  was  productive  of  no  conse- 
quences. Our  main  army  in  Pennsylvania, 
after  having  contended  with  superior  force  in 
two  indecisive  battles,  still  held  the  enemy  in 
check  ;  while  the  splendid  success  which  at- 
tended our  arms  at  the  northward,  gave  a  more 
favourable  aspect  to  the  American  affairs,  at 
the  close  of  this  campaign,  than  they  had  ever 
before  'assumed. 

When  the  enemy  fell  back  to  New- York  by 
water,  we  followed  them  a  part  of  the  way  by 
land.  Colonel  Meigs,  with  a  detachment  from 
the  several  regiments  in  General  Parsons' 
brigade,  having  made  a  forced  march  from 
Crompond  to  West  Chester,  surprised  and 
broke  up  for  a  time  the  band  of  freebooters,  of 
whom  he  brought  off  fifty,  together  with  many 
cattle  and  horses  which  they  had  recently 
stolen. 

Soon  after  this  enterprise,  General  Putnam 
advanced  towards  the  British  lines.  As  he 
had  received  intelligence  that  small  bodies  of 
the  enemy  were  out,  with  orders  from  Gover- 
nor Tryon  to  burn  Wright's  mills,  he  prevented 
it  by  detaching  three  parties,  of  one  hundred 
men  in'  each.  One  of  these  parties  fell  in  with 
and  captured  thirty-five,  and  another  forty,  of 
the  new  levies.  But  as  he  could  not  prevent  a 
O 


156    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

third  hostile  party  from  burning  the  house  of 
Mr.  Van  Tassel,  a  noted  whig,  and  a  commit- 
tee-man, who  was  forced  to  go  along  with 
them,  naked  and  barefoot,  on  the  icy  ground, 
in  a  freezing  night,  he,  for  the  professed  pur- 
pose of  retaliation,  sent  Captain  Buchanan,  in 
a  whale-boat,  to  burn  the  house  of  General  Oli- 
ver Delancy  on  York  Island.  Buchanan  ef- 
fected his  object,  and  by  this  expedition  put  a 
period,  for  the  present,  to  that  unmeaning  and 
wanton  species  .of  destruction. 

While  General  Putnam  quartered  at  New- 
Rochelle,  a  scouting  party,  which  had  been  sent 
to  West-Farms,  below  West-Chester,  surround- 
ed the  house  in  which  Colonel  James  Delancy 
lodged,  and,  notwithstanding  he  crept  under 
the  bed  the  better  to  be  concealed,  brought  him 
to  Head-Quarters  before  morning.  This  offi- 
cer was  exchanged  by  the  British  general  with- 
out delay,  and  placed  at  the  head  of  the  cow- 
boys, a  licentious  corps  of  irregulars,  who,  in 
the  sequel,  committed  unheard  of  depredations 
and  excesses. 

It  was  distressing  to  see  so  beautiful  a  part 
of  the  country  so  barbarously  wasted,  and  of- 
ten to  witness  some  peculiar  scene  pf  female 
misery :  for  most  of  the  female  inhabitants  had 
been  obliged  to  fly  within  the  lines  possessed 
by  one  army  or  the  other.  Near  our  quarters 
was  an  affecting  instance  of  human  vicissitude. 
Mr.  William Sutton,  of  Mamaroneck,  an  inoffen- 
sive man,  a  merchant  by  profession,  who  lived 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  157 

in  a  decent  fashion,  and  whose  family  had  as 
happy  prospects  as  almost  any  m  the  country, 
upon  some  imputation  of  toryism,  went  to  the 
enemy-  His  wife,  oppressed  with  grief  in  the 
disagreeable  state  of  dereliction,  did  not  long- 
survive.  Betsey  Silt-ton,  their  eldest  daughter, 
was  a  modest  and  lovely  young  woman,  of 
about  fifteen  years  old,  when,  at  the  death  -of 
her  mother,  the  care  of  five  or  six  younger 
children  devolved  upon  her.  She  was  discreet 
and  provident  beyond  her  years  ;  but  when  we 
saw:  her,  she  looked  to  l)e  feeble  in  health — 
broken  in  spirit — wan,  melancholy,  and  deject- 
ed. She  said  "  that  their  last  cow,  which  fur- 
nished milk  for  the  children,  had  lately  been 
taken  away — that  they  had  frequently  been 
plundered  of  their  wearing  apparel  arid  furni- 
ture, she  believed  by  both  parties — that  they 
had  little  more  'to  lose — and  that  she  knew  not 
where  to  procure  bread  for  the  dear  little  ones, 
who  had  no  father  to  provide  for  them" — no 
mother — she  was  going  to  have  said — but  a 
torrent  of  tears  choked  articulation.  In  com- 
ing to  that  part  of  the  country  again,  after  some 
campaigns  had  elapsed,  I  found  the  habitation 
desolate,  and  the  garden  overgrown  with  weeds. 
Upon  inquiry,  I  fearnt,  that  as  soon  as  we  left 
the  place,  some  ruffians  broke  into  the  house 
while  she  lay  in  bed,  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
night ;  and  that,  having  been  terrified  by  their 
rudeness,  she  ran,  half-naked,  into  a  neigh- 
bouring swamp,  where  she  continued  until  the 


158    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

morning — there  the  poor  girl  caught  a  violent 
cold,  which  ended  in  a  consumption.  It  finish- 
ed a  life  without  a  spot — and  a  career  of  suf- 
ferings commenced  arid  continued  without  a 
fault. 

Sights  of  wretchedness  always  touched  with 
commiseration  the  feeling  of  General  Putnam, 
and  prompted  his  generous  soul  to  succour  the 
afflicted.  But  the  indulgence  which  he  show- 
ed, whenever  it  did  not  militate  against  his  du- 
ty, towards  the  deserted  and  suffering  families 
of  the  tories  in  the  State  of  New  York,  was 
the  cause  of  his  becoming  unpopular  with  no 
inconsiderable  class  of  people  in  that  State. 
On  the  other  side,  he  had  conceived  an  uncon- 
querable aversion  to  many  of  the  persons  who 
were  intrusted  with  the  disposal  of  tory  pro- 
perty, because  he  believed  them  to  have  been 
guilty  of  peculations  and  other  infamous  prac- 
tices. But  although  the  enmity  between  him 
and  the  sequestrators  was  acrimonious  as  mu- 
tual, yet  he  lived  in  habits  of  amity  with  the 
most  respectable  characters  in  public  depart 
ments,  as  well  as  in  private  life. 

His  character  was  also  respected  by  the  ene 
my.  He  had  been  acquainted  with  many  of 
the  principal  officers  in  a  former  war.  As 
flags  frequently  passed  between  the  out-posts, 
during  his  continuance  on  the  lines,  it  was  a 
common  practice  to  forward  newspapers  by 
them ;  and  as  those  printed  by  Rivington,  the 
royal  printer  in  New  York,  were  infamous  for 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  159 

the  falsehoods  with  which  they  abounded, 
General  Putnam  once  sent  a  packet  to  his  old 
friend  General  Kobertson,  with  this  billet: 
"  Major-General  Putnam  presents  his  compli- 
ments to  Major-General  Robertson,  and  sends 
him  some  American  newspapers  for  his  peru- 
sal ; — when  General  Robertson  shall  have  done 
with  them,  it  is  requested  they  be  given  to 
Rivington,  in  order  that  he  may  print  some 
truth." 

Late  in  the  year  we  left  the  lines  and  re- 
paired to  the  Highlands ;  for  upon  the  loss  of 
Fort  Montgomery,  the  Commander-in-chief 
dftermined  to  build  another  fortification  for 
the  defence  of  the  river.  His  Excellency,  ac- 
cordingly, wrote  to  General  Putnam  to  fix  up- 
on the  spot.  After  reconnoitring  all  the  dif- 
ferent places  proposed,  and  revolving  in  his 
own  mind  their  relative  advantages  for  offence 
on  the  water  and  defence  on  the  land,  ho  fix- 
ed upon  WEST-POINT.  It  is  no  vulgar  praise 
to  say^  that  to  him  belongs  the  glory  of  having 
chosen  this  rock  of  our  military  salvation.  The 
position  for  water-batteries,  which  might  sweep 
the  channel  where  the  river  formed  a  right 
angle,  made  it  the  most  proper  of  any  for 
commanding  the  navigation  ;  while-  the  rocky 
ridges  that  rose  in  awful  sublimity  behind 
each  other,  rendered  it  impregnable,  and  even 
incapable  of  being  invested  by  less  than  twen- 
ty thousand  men.  The  British,  who  consider- 
ed this  post  as  a  sort  of  American  Gibraltar, 
L 


160    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

never  attempted  it  but  by  the  treachery  of  an 
American  officer.  All  the  world  knows  that 
this  project  failed,  and  that  West  Point  con- 
tinues to  be  the  receptacle  of  evrery  thing  valua- 
ble in  military  preparations  to  the  present  day. 
In  the  mouth  of  January,  1778,  when  a 
snow,  two  feet  deep,  lay  on  the  earth,  General 
Parsons'  brigade  went  to  West-Point  and 
broke  ground.  Want  of  covering  for  the 
troops,  together  with  want  of  tools  and  mate- 
rials for  the  works,  made  the  prospect  truly 
gloomy  and  discouraging.  It  was  necessary 
that  means  should  be  found,  though  our  cur- 
rency was  depreciated,  and  our  treasury  ex- 
hausted. The  estimates  and  requisitions  of 
Colonel  la  Radiere,  the  engineer  who  laid  out 
the  works,  altogether  disproportioned  to  our 
circumstances,  served  only  to  put  us  in  mind 
of  our  poverty,  and,  as  it  were,  to  satirize  our 
resources.  His  petulant  behaviour,  and  unac- 
commodating disposition,  added  farther  em- 
barrassments. It  was  then  that  the  patriotism 
of  Governor  Clinton  shone  in  full  lustre.  His 
exertions  to  furnish  supplies  can  never  be  too 
much  commended.  His  influence,  arising  from 
his  popularity,  was  unlimited  :  yet  he  hesitated 
not  to  put  afl  his  popularity  at  risk,  whenever 
the  federal  interests  demanded.  Notwith- 
standing the  impediments  that  opposed  our 
progress,  with  his  aid,  before  the  opening  of 
the  campaign,  the  works  were  in  great  for- 
wardness. 


OF  MAJOR-GENERALVPUTNAM.  161 

According  to  a  resolution  of  Congress,  an  in- 
quiry was  to  be  made  into  the  causes  of  milita- 
ry disasters.  Major-General  M'Dougall,  Briga- 
dier-General Huntington,  and  Colonel  Wig- 
glesworth  composed  the  Court  of  Inquiry  ou 
the  loss  of  Fort  Montgomery.  Upon  full 
knowledge  and  mature  deliberation  of  facts  on 
the  spot,  they  reported  the  loss  to  have  been 
occasioned  by  want  of  men,  and  not  by  any 
fault  in  the  commanders. 

General  Putnam,  who  during  the  investiga- 
tion was  relieved  from  duty,  as  soon  as  Con- 
gress had  approved  the  report,  took  command 
of  the  right  wing  of  the  grand  army,  under  the 
orders  of  the  General-in-chief.  This  was  just 
after  the  battle  of  Monmouth,  when  the  three 
armies,  which  had  last  year  acted  separately, 
joined  at  the  White-plains.  Our  effective  force, 
in  one  camp,  was  at  no  other  time  so  respectable 
as  at  this  juncture.  The  army  consisted  of 
sixty  regular  regiments  of  foot,  formed  into 
fifteen  brigades,  four  battalions  of  artillery,  four 
regiments  of  horse,  and  several  corps  of  State 
troops.  But  as  the  enemy  kept  close  within 
their  lines  on  York  Island,  nothing  could  be 
attempted.  Towards  the  end  of  autumn  we 
broke  up  the  camp,  and  went  first  to  Frede- 
ricksburgh,  and  thence  to  winter-quarters. 

In  order  to  cover  the  country  adjoining  to  the 
Sound,  and  to  support  the  garrison  of  West 
Point,  in  case  of  an  attack,  Major-General  Put- 
nam was  stationed,  for  the  winter,  at  Reading, 


162  LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  ANU  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

in  Connecticut.  He  had  under  his  orders, 
the  brigade  of  New  Hampshire,  the  two  bri- 
gades of  Connecticut,  the  corps  of  infantry 
commanded  by  Hazen,  and  that  of  cavalry  by 
Sheldon. 

The  troops,  who  had  been  badly  fed,  badly 
clothed,  and  worse  paid,  by  brooding  over  their 
grievances  in  the  leisure  and  inactivity  of  win- 
ter quarters,  began  to  think  them  intolerable* 
The  Connecticut  brigades  formed  the  design  of 
marching  to  Hartford,  where  the-  general  as- 
sembly was  then  in  session,  and  of  demanding 
redress  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  Word 
having  been  brought  to  General  Putnam,  that 
the  second  brigade  was  under  arms  for  this 
purpose,  he  mounted  his  horse,  galloped  to  the 
cantonment,  and  thus  addressed  them :  "  My 
brave  lads,  whither  arc  you  going  ?  Do  you 
intend  to  desert  your  officers,  and  to  invite  the 
enemy  to  follow  you  into  the  country?.  Whose 
cause  have  you  been  fighting  and  suffering  so 
long  in — is  it  not  your  own  ?  Have  you  no 
property,  no  parents,  wives  or  children  7  You 
have  behaved  like  men  so  far — all  tlie  world  is 
full  of  your  praises — and  posterity  will  stand 
astonished  at  yo\ir  deeds  :  but  not  if  you  spoil 
all  at  last.  Don't  you  consider  how  much  the 
country  is  distressed  by  the  war,  and  that  your 
officers  have  not  been  any  better  paid  than  your- 
selves? But  we  all  expect  better  times,  and  that 
the  country  will  do  us  ample  justice.  Let  us 
all  stand  by  one  another,  then,  and  fight  it  out 


"  OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  163 

like  brave  soldiers.  Think  what  a  shame  it 
would  be  for  Connecticut  men  to  run  away 
from  their  officers."  After  the  several  regi- 
ments had  received  the  General,  as  he  rode 
along  the  line,  with  drums  beating,  and  pre- 
sented arms,  the  sergeants,  who  had  then  the 
command,  brought  the  men  to  an  order,  in 
which  position  they  continued  while  he  was 
speaking.  When  he  had  done,  he  directed  the 
acting  major  of  brigade  to  give  the  word  for 
them  to  shoulder,  march  to  their  regimental 
parades,  and  lodge  arms  ;  all  which  they  exe- 
cuted with  promptitude  and  apparent  good 
humour.  One  soldier,  only,  who  had  been  the 
most  active,  was  confined  in  the  quarter-guard; 
from  whence,  at  night,  he  attempted  to  make 
his  escape.  But  the  sentinel,  who  had  also 
been  in  the  mutiny,  shot  him  dead  on  the  spot, 
and  thus  the  affair  subsided. 

About  the  middle  of  winter,  while  General 
Putnam  was  on  a  visit  to  his  out-post  at  Horse- 
Neck,  he  found  Governor  Tryon  advancing 
upon  that  town  with  a  corps  of  fifteen  hundred 
men.  To  oppose  these  General  Putnam  had 
only  a  picket  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  men, 
and  two  iron  field-pieces,  without  horses  or 
drag-ropes.  He,  however,  planted  his  cannon 
on  the  high  ground,  by  the  meeting-house,  and 
retarded  their  approach  by  firing  several  times, 
until,  perceiving  the  horse  (supported  by  the 
infantry)  about  to  charge,  he  ordered  the  picket 
to  provide  for  their  safety,  by  retiring  to  a 


1.64    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 


PUTNAM'S  ESCAPE  AT  HORSE-NECK. — p.  164. 


swamp,  inaccessible  to  horse,  and  secured  his 
own,  by  plunging  down  the  steep  precipice  at 
the  church  upon  a  full  trot.  This  precipice  is 
so  steep,  where  lie  descended,,  as  to  have  artifi- 
cial stairs,  composed  of -neatly  one  hundred 
stone  steps,  for  the  accommodation  of  foot  pas- 
sengers. There  the  dragoons,.who  were  but  a 
sword's  lenirth  from  him, -stopped  short ;  for  the 
declivity  was  so  abrupt,  that  they  ventured  not 
to  follow  ;  and,  before  they  could  gain  the  val- 
ley, by  going  round  the  brow  of  the  hill  in  the 
ordinary  road,  he  was  far  enough  beyond  their 
reach.  He  continued  his  route,  unmolested,  to 
Stamford ;  whence,  having  strengthened  his 
picket  by  the  junction  of  some  militia,  he  came 
back  again,  and  in  turn,  pursued  Governor 


OP  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  165 

Tryon  in  his  retreat.*  As  he  rode  down  the 
precipice,  one  ball,  of  the  many  fired  at  him, 
went  through  his  beaver:  but  Governor  Tryon, 
by  way  of  compensation  for  spoiling  his  hat, 
sent  him,  soon  afterwards,  as  a  present,  a  com- 
plete suit  of  clothes. 

In  the  campaign  of  1779,  which  terminated 
the  career  of  General  Putnam's  services,  he 
commanded  the  Maryland  line,  posted  at  But- 
termilk falls,  about  two  miles  below  West  Point.'' 
He  was  happy  in  possessing  the  friendship  of 
the  officers  of  that  line,  and  in  living  on  terms 
of  hospitality  with  them.  Indeed  there  was  no 
family  in  the  army  that  lived  better  than  his 
own.  The  General,  his  second  son,  Major 
Laniel  Putnam,  and  the  writer  of  these  me- 
moirs, composed  that  family.  This  campaign, 
principally  spent  in  strengthening  the  works  of 
West  Point,  was  only  signalized  for  the  storm 
of  Stony  Point,  by  the  light  infantry  under  the 
conduct  of  General  Wayne,  and  the  surprise  of 
the  post  of  Powles-Hook,  by  the  corps -under 
the  command  of  Colonel  Henry  Lee.  When 
the  army  quitted  the  field,  and  marched  to 
Morristown,  into  winter  quarters,  General 
Putnam's  family  went  into  Connecticut,  for  a 
few  weeks.  In  December,  the  General  began 

*  In  this  retreat,  though  with  a  very  inferior  force,  General 
Putnam  made  about  fifty  prisoners,  part  of  whom  were  wound- 
ed, and  the  whole  were  the  next  day  sent,  under  the  escort  of 
an  officer's  guard,  to  the  British  lines,  for  exchange.  It  was 
for  the  humanity  and  kindness  of  Putnam  to  the  wounded 
prisoners,  that  Governor  Tryon  complimented  him  with  the 
'  suit  of  clothes." 


166    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

his  journey  to  Morristown.  Upon  the  road  be- 
tween Pomfrel  and  Hartford,  he  felt  an  unusual 
torpor  slowly  pervading  his  right  hand  and 
foot.  This  heaviness  crept  gradually  on,  until 
it  had  deprived  him  of  the  use  of  his  limbs  on 
that  side,  in  a  considerable  degree,  before  he 
reached  the  house  of  his  friend,  Colonel  Wads- 
worth.  Still  he  was  unwilling  to  consider  his 
disorder  of  the  paralytic  kind,  and  endeavoured 
to  shake  it  off  by  exertion.  Having  found  that 
impossible,  a  temporary  dejection,  disguised, 
however,  under  a  veil  of  assumed  cheerfulness, 
succeeded.  But  reason,  philosophy,  and  re- 
ligion, soon  reconciled  him  to  his  fate.  In  that 
situation  he  has  constantly  remained,  favoured 
with  such  a  portion  of  bodily  activity  as  enables 
him  to  walk  and  to  ride  moderately ;  and  re- 
taining, unimpaired,  his  relish  for  enjoyment, 
his  love  of  pleasantry,  his  strength  of  memory, 
and  all  the  faculties  of  his  mind.  As  a  proof 
that  the  powers  of  memory  are  not  weakened, 
it  ought  to  be  observed,  that  he  has  lately  re- 
peated, from  recollection,  all  the  adventures  of 
his  life,  which  are  here  recorded,  and  which 
had  formerly  been  communicated  to  the  com- 
piler in  detached  conversations. 

In  patient,  yet  fearless  expectation  of  the  ap- 
proach of  THE  KING  OF  TERRORS,  whom  he 
hath  full  often  faced  in  the  field  of  blood,  the 
Christian  hero  now  enjoys,  in  domestic  retire- 
ment, the  fruit  of  his  early  industry.  Having 
in  youth  provided  a  competent  subsistence  for 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  167 

old  age,  he  was  secured  from  the  danger  of  pe- 
nury and  distress,  to  which  so  many  officers 
and  soldiers,  worn  out  in  the  public  service, 
have  been  reduced.  To  illustrate  his  merits 
the  more  fully,  this  essay  will  be  concluded 
with  a  copy  of  tb.2  last  letter  written  to  him,  by 
General  Washington,  in  his  military  character. 

"  Head  Quarters,  2d  June,  1783. 
"DEAR  SIR, 

"  Your  favour  of  the  20th  of  May  I  received 
with  much  pleasure.  For  I  can  assure  you, 
that  among  the  many  worthy  and  meritorious 
officers  with  whom  I  have  had  the  happiness 
to  be  connected  in  service  through  the  course  of 
this  war,  and  from  whose  cheerful  assistance  in 
the  various  and  trying  vicissitudes  of  a  compli- 
cated contest,  the  name  of  a  PUTNAM  is  not 
forgotten  ;  nor  will  be  but  with  that  stroke  of 
time  which  shall  obliterate  from  my  mind  the 
remembrance  of  all  those  toils  and  fatigues 
through  which  we  have  struggled  for  the  pre- 
servation and  establishment  of  the  Rights,  Li- 
berties, and  Independence  of  our  Country. 

"  Your  congratulations  on  the  happy  pros- 
pects of  peace  and  independent  security,  with 
their  attendant  blessings  to  the  UNITED 
STATES,  I  receive  with  great  satisfaction  ;  and 
beg  that  you  will  accept  a  return  of  my  gratu- 
lations  to  you  on  this  auspicious  event — an 
event  in  which,  great  as  it  is  in  itself,  and  glo- 
rious as  it  will  probably  be  in  its  consequences, 
P 


168    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

you  have  a  right  to  participate  largely,  from 
the  distinguished  pait  you  have  contributed  to- 
wards its  attainment. 

"But  while  I  contemplate  the  greatness  of 
the  object  for  which  we  have  contended,  and 
felicitate  you  on  the  happy  issue  of  our  toils 
and  labours,  which  have  terminated  with  such 
general  satisfaction,  I  lament  that  you  should 
feel  the  ungrateful  returns  of  a  country,  in 
whose  service  you  have  exhausted  youi  bodily 
strength,  and  expended  the  vigour  of  a  youth- 
ful constitution.  I  wish,  however,  that  your 
expectations  of  returning  liberality  may  be 
verified.  I  have  a  hope  they  may — but  should 
they  not,  your  case  will  not  be  a  singular  one. 
Ingratitude  has  been  experienced  in  all  ar;es, 
and  REPUBLICS,  in  particular,  have  ever  been 
famed  for  the  exercise  of  that  unnatural  and 

SORDID  VICE. 

"The    SECRETARY     AT    WAR,    WflO    IS    ttOW 

here,  informs  me  that  you  have  ever  been  con- 
sidered as  entitled  to  full  pay  since  your  ab- 
sence from  the  field,  and  that  you  will  still  be 
considered  in  that  light  until  the  close  of  trie 
war ;  at  which  period  you  will  be  equally  en- 
titled to  the  same  emoluments  of  half-pay  or 
commutation  as  other  officers  of  your  rank. 
The  same  opinion  is  also  given  by  the  pay- 
master-general, who  is  now  with  the  army, 
empowered  by  Mr.  Morris  for  the  settlement  of 
all  their  accounts,  and  who  will  attend  to  your's 
whenever  you  shall  think  proper  to  send  on 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  169 

for  the  purpose,  which  it  will  probably  be  best 
for  you  to  do  in  a  short  time. 

"  I  anticipate,  with  pleasure,  the  day,  and 
that,  I  trust,  not  far  off,  when  I  shall  quit  the 
busy  scenes  of  a  military  employment,  and  re- 
tire to  the  more  tranquil  walks  of  domestic  life. 
In  that,  or  whatever  other  situation  Providence 
may  dispose  of  my  future  days,  THE  REMEM- 
BRANCE OF  THE  MANY  FRIENDSHIPS  AND 
CONNEXIONS  I  HAVE  HAD  THE  HAPPINESS 
TO  CONTRACT  WITH  THE  GENTLEMEN  OF  THE 
ARMY,  WILL  BE  -ONE  OF  MY  MOST  GRATEFUL 

REFLECTIONS.  Under  this  contemplation,  and 
impressed  with  the  sentiments  of  benevolence 
and  regard.  I  commend  you,  my  dear  sir,  my 
other  friends,  and  with  them,  the  interests  and 
happiness  of  our  dear  country,  to  the  KEEPING 

AND  PROTECTION  OF  ALMIGHTY  GOD. 

"  I  have  the  honour  to  be,  &c. 

"GEORGE  WASHINGTON. 
"  To  the  Hon.  Maj.  Gen.  PUTNAM." 

The  remainder  of  the  life  of  General  Put- 
nam was  passed  in  quiet  retirement  with  his 
family.  He  experienced  few  interruptions  in 
his  bodily  health,  (except  the  paralytic  debility 
with  which  he  was  afflicted,)  retained  full  pos- 
session of  his  mental  faculties,  and  enjoyed  the 
society  of  his  friends  until  the  17th  of  May, 
1790,  when  he  was  violently  attackeu  with  an 
inflammatory  disease.-  Satisfied  from  the  first 
that  it  would  prove  mortal,  he  was  calm  and 
8 


1  70    LIFE,  ANECDOTES,  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

resigned,  and  welcomed  the  approach  of  death 
with  joy,  as  a  messenger  sent  to  call  him  from 
a  life  of  toil  to  everlasting  rest.  On  the  19th 
of  May,  1 790,  he  ended  a  life  which  had  been 
spent  in  cultivating  and  defending  the  soil  of 
his  birth. 

Much  of  his  life  had  been  spent  in  arms, 
and  the  military  of  the  neighbourhood  were 
desirous  that  the  rites  of  sepulture  should  be 
accompanied  with  martial  honours :  they  felt 
that  this  last  tribute  of  respect  was  due  to  a 
soldier,  who,  from  a  patriotic  love  of  country, 
had  devoted  the  best  part  of  his  life  to  the  de- 
fence of  her  rights,  and  the  establishment  of 
her  independence — and  who,  through  long  and 
trying  services,  was  never  once  reproached  for 
misconduct  as  an  officer  ;  but  when  disease 
compelled  him  to  retire  from  service,  left  it,  be- 
loved and  respected  by  the  army  and  his  chief, 
and  with  high  claims  to  the  grateful  remem- 
brance of  his  country. 

Under  these  impressions,  the  grenadiers  of 
the  llth  regiment,  the  independent  corps  of 
artillerists,  and  the  militia  companies  in  the 
neighbourhood,  assembled  each  at  their  ap- 
pointed rendezvous,  early  on  the  morning  of 
the  21st,  and  having  repaired  to  the  late  dwell- 
ing Ijouse  of  the  deceased,  a  suitable  escort  was 
formed,  attended  by  a  procession  of  the  masonic 
brethren  present,  arid  a  large  concourse  of  re- 
spectable citizens,  which  moved  to  the  congre- 
gational meeting  house  in  Brooklyn ;  and,  after 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  171 

divine  service  performed  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Whit- 
ney, all  that  was  earthly  of  a  patriot  and  hero 
was  laid  in  the  silent  tomb,  under  the  discharge 
of  vollies  from  the  infantry,  and  minute  guns 
from  the  artillery. 

The  following  eulogium  was  pronounced  at 

the  grave  of  General  Putnam  by  Dr.  A. 

Waldo. 

"  Those  venerable  relics !  once  delighted  in 
the  endearing  domestic  virtues,  which  consti- 
tute the  excellent  neighbour — husband — parent 
— and  worthy  brother  !  liberal  and  substantial 
in  his  friendship  ; — unsuspicious — open — and 
generous  ; — just  and  sincere  in  dealing  ;  a  be- 
nevolent citizen  of  the  world — he  concentrated 
in  his  bosom,  the  noble  qualities  of  an  HONEST 
MAN. 

"  Born  a  hero — whom  nature  taught  and 
cherished  in  the  lap  of  innumerable  toils  and 
dangers,  he  was  terrible  in  battle  !  But,  from 
the  amiableness  of,  his  heart — when  carnage 
ceased,  his  humanity  spread  over  the  field,  like 
the  refreshing  zephyrs  of  a  summer's  evening ! 
-The  prisoner — the  wounded — the  sick — the 
forlorn — experienced  the  delicate  sympathy  of 
this  SOLDIER'S  PILLOW — the  poor,  and  the 
needy,  of  every  description,  received  the  chari- 
table bounties  of  this  CHRISTIAN  SOLDIER. 

"  He  pitied  littleness — loved  goodness — ad- 
mired greatness,  and  ever  aspired  to  its  glori- 
ous summit !  The  friend,  the  servant,  and 


172  LIFE,  ANECDOTES^  AND  HEROIC  EXPLOITS 

almost  unparalleled  lover  of  his  country ; — 
worn  with  honourable  age,  and  the  former 
toils  of  war — PUTNAM  !  '  Rests  from  his  la- 
bours.' 

"  Till  mouldering  worlds  and  tumbling  systems  burst ! 
When  the  last  trump  shall  renovate  his  dust — 
Still  by  the  mandate  of  eternal  truth,  , 

Hia  soul  will  '  flourish  in  immortal  youth !' 

"  This  all  who  knew  him  know  ; — this  all 
who  loved  him,  tell." 

The  late  Rev.  Dr.  Dwight,  President  of  Yale 
College,  who  knew  General  Putnam  inti- 
mately, has  portrayed  his  character  faith- 
fully in  the  follmomg  inscription,  which  is 
engraven  on  his  tomb. 


OF  MAJOR-GENERAL  PUTNAM.  173 

Sacred  be  this  Monument 
to  the  memory 

of 

ISRAEL  PUTNAM,  ESQUIRE, 
senior  Major- General  in  the  armies 

of 
the  United  States  of  America; 

who 

was  born  at  Salem, 

in  the  Province  of  Massachusetts, 

on  the  7th  day  of  January, 

A.D.  1718, 

and  died 

on  the  19th  day  of  May, 

A.  D.  1790. 

Passenger, 

if  thou  art  a  Soldier, 

drop  a  tear  over  the  dust  of  a  Hero 

who, 

ever  attentive 
to  the  lives  and  happiness  of  his  men, 

dared  to  lead 
where  any  dared  to  follow; 

if  a  Patriot, 
remember  the  distinguished  and  gallant  servicei 

rendered  thy  country 

by  the  Patriot  who  sleeps  beneath  this  marble} 

if  thou  art  honest,  generous,  and  worthy, 

tender  a  cheerful  tribute  of  respect 

to  a  man, 

whose  generosity  was  singular, 
whose  honesty  was  proverbial  j 

who 

raised  himself  to  universal  esteem, 

and  offices  of  eminent  distinction, 

by  personal  worth 

and  a 
u  -clu!  lilft. 


TO  THE  READER. 

THROUGH  inadvertence,  an  error  has  escaped 
in  the  Title  page,  which  is  here  corrected. 
The  main  part  is  from  the  pen  of  Colonel  Hum- 
phreys ;  but  so  far  as  General  Putnam  was  con- 
nected with  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  the  prin- 
cipal portion  is  extracted  from  an  "  Historical 
and  Topographical  Sketch  of  Bunker  Hill  Bat- 
tle, by  Samuel  Swett."  The  Anecdotes  are  by 
the  same  hand. 


APPENDIX. 


THE  important  particulars  in  the  life  of  Ge- 
neral Putnam  having  been  already  narrated, 
the  remaining  pages  will  be  occupied  by  revo- 
lutionary anecdotes,  which  tend  to  show  the 
body  of  the  times,  its  form  and  pressure,  "  in 
those  days  which  literally  tried  men's  souls." 
The  reader  will  require  no  unusual  condiment 
to  give  these  a  keen  relish. 


GENERAL  WARD  received  from  the  general 
Congress  the  appointment  of  first  major-gene- 
ral, and  second  in  command  of  the  American 
army.  On  the  arrival  of  General  Washington 
at  Cambridge,  he  assumed  the  command  of  the 
right  wing  at  Roxbury,  and  his  general  dispo- 
sition of  the  troops  about  Boston,  was  sanc- 
tioned by  the  approbation  of  the  Commander-in- 
chief.  From  extreme  ill  health,  he  resigned 
his  commission  in  April,  1776  ;  but  notwith- 
standing his  resignation  was  accepted,  at  the 
earnest  request  of  Congress  and  General  Wash- 
ington, he  continued  in  command,  near  Boston, 
until  the  20th  of  March,  1777.  He  was  after- 
wards a  member  of  Congress  under  the  old 
M 


17t>  APPENDIX. 

confederation  and  present  constitution,  and 
died  in  1800,  aged  seventy-three. 

The  veteran  General  Pomeroy  heard  the 
pealing  artillery,  which  seemed  to  invite  him  to 
battle  ;  he  was  a  soldier  too  brave,  and  a  patriot 
too  ardent,  to  resist  a  summons  so  agreeable. 
He  requested  a  horse  of  General  Ward,  to 
carry  him  to  the  field ;  delighted  at  an  aid  so 
important,  it  was  instantly  supplied.  With  his 
musket  and  cartridges,  he  repaired  to  the  Neck ; 
inquiring  of  a  sentry  posted  there,  and  viewing 
the  ground  and  the  tremendous  fire  across,  he 
was  alarmed,  not  for  himself,  but  for  the  horse 
he  had  borrowed ;  he  delivered  him  to  the  sen- 
try, and  coolly  marched  across.  He  advanced 
to  the  rail  fence  at  the  left.  His  approach  gave 
new  confidence  to  the  men ;  they  received  him 
with  the  highest  exultation,  and  the  name  of 
General  Pomeroy  rang  through  the  line.  In 
early  life  he  had  been  an  ingenious  mechanic, 
and  many  a  soldier  was  supplied  with  arms  of 
his  manufacture.  Had  Yulcan  himself  supplied 
the  Grecians  with  his  celestial  armour,  and  ap- 
peared in  their  ranks,  they  would  not  have  been 
more  certain  of  victory. 

General  Pomeroy  expressed  his  strong  sense 
of  the  blindness  of  fortune,  that,  of  the  two  vo- 
lunteer generals  in  the  battle,  Warren,  the 
young  and  chivalrous  soldier,  the  eloquent  arid 
enlightened  legislator,  should  fall,  and  he 
escape,  old  and  useless,  unhurt.  From  age  he 
declined  the  honourable  appointment  of  briga- 


APPENDIX.  177 

dier-general  of  the  United  States  army,  and  re- 
tired from  service.  But,  like  the  veteran  war- 
horse,  when  the  echoes  of  his  majestic  Connec- . 
ticut  rang  with  the  clarion  of  battle,  he  spurned 
the  peaceful  retreat  which  his  long  life  and 
long  services  demanded.  He  preferred  even  a 
regiment  to  inaction,  and,  as  a  colonel,  marched 
to  join  the  kindred  spirits  who  composed  our 
army  in  the  Jerseys.  His  exposures  produced 
a  pleurisy,  which  proved  fatal  at  Peekskill,  in 
New- York,  where  'his  country  owes  him  a 
moriumentj  and  bravery  and  patriotism  peren- 
nial fame- 
General  Thomas  was  appointed  first  briga- 
dier-general under  the  United  States,  in  1776 
was  appointed  major-general,  and  on  the  death 
of  Montgomery,  repaired  to  Canada,  to  com- 
mand the  American  forces  before  Quebec. 
Their  situation  was  nearly  desperate ;  but  he 
was  too  adventurous  to  relinquish  the  enter- 
prise without  one  attempt  to  secure  the  favours 
of  fortune.  He  endeavoured  to  burn  the  ene- 
my's naval  force  before  the  city  by  a  fire-ship, 
intending  to  attack  the  place  during  the  con- 
flagration ;  but  the  fire-ship  miscarried,  and 
the  general  was  compelled  to  order  a  retreat, 
during  which  he  died  of  the  small  pox  at 
Chamblee. 

The  veteran  Colonel  Joseph  Frye,  who  had 
served  in  the  war  of  1756,  was  at  the  siege  of 
Louisbourg,  and  taken  prisoner  in  Fort  Wil- 
liam Henry,  immediately  after  the  battle  the 
8* 


178  APPENDIX. 

21st  June,  was  appointed  major-general  by  the 
Provincial  Congress.  He  served  some  time  in 
the  revolutionary  war,  and  lived  to  a  very 
advanced  age,  at  Fryeburgh,  which  received  its 
name  from  his  family. 

Colonel  Gardner  lived  a  few  days  after  the 
battle,  and  on  being  asked  if  he  was  well 
enough  to  see  his  son ;  "  yes,"  answered  the 
hero,  "  if  he  has  done  his  duty."  Being  in- 
formed that  he  had  distinguished  himself,  he 
saw  him,  and  died  witli  the  glorious  consolation 
of  leaving  the  invaluable  legacy  of  his  own 
fame  and  his  country's  gratitude  to  a  son  wor- 
thy to  support  the  honours  of  his  name. 

The  brave  Knowlton,  from  the  first  moment 
of  the  battle  to  the  latest  period  of  the  retreat, 
showed  himself  worthy  the  distinguished  ho- 
nour of  being  selected  as  the  first  among  the 
Connecticut  captains. 

He  afterwards  received  the  commission  of 
lieutenant-colonel,  and  at  the  battle  of  Haerlem 
Heights,  was  sent  by  Washington  to  attack  the 
enemy's  rear ;  a  bloody  action  ensued ;  Knowl- 
ton and  his  men  fought  the  whole  force  of  the 
enemy,  of  vastly  superior  numbers,  before  the 
Americans  could  attack  in  front,  and  got  the 
better  of  them.  He  restored  by  this  gallant  af- 
fair a  glorious  moral  force  to  the  army  nearly 
extinguished  by  disasters;  but  it  was  at  the 
expense  of  many  brave  men  in  the  unequal 
contest ;  his  assistant  officer,  Major  Leitch,  was 
slain,  with  three  balls  through  him,  and  he 


APPENDIX.  179 

himself  reaped  immortal  honour  and  immortal 
life  together. 

Washington  paid  due  honours  to  his  memory, 
in  general  orders,  and  declared,  "  he  had  died 
a  glorious  death,  which  every  soldier  ought  to 
wish  for,  and  would  have  been  an  honour  to 
any  country  on  earth." 

^The  same  indignation  felt  by  Colonel  Pres- 
cott,  at  the  loss  of  the  battle,  was  general  in  the 
army,  and  throughout  the  country;  a  scrutiny, 
most  severe  and  unrelenting,  was  instituted 
into  the  conduct  of  every  one,  to  bring  condign 
punishment  on  those  whose  misconduct  had 
caused  the  final  issue.  Even  Colonel  Bridge, 
notwithstanding  the  severity  of  his  labours,  and 
the  dangerous  and  honourable  wounds  he  re- 
ceived, had  to  pass  the  ordeal  of  a  court  mar- 
tial. 

Notwithstanding  this  inquisitorial  research, 
we  are  happy  to  add,  out  of  near  three  thou- 
sand, who,  at  different  stages  of  the  battle,  must 
have  been  engaged  in  it,  and  most  of  them  for 
the  first  time,  four  only  were  discovered  guilty 
of  misconduct.  Of  these,  Major  Gridley  was 
tried  for  neglect  of  duty,  Brigadier-General 
Green  being  president  of  the  court,  which  "find 
him  guilty  of  breach  of  orders,  and  therefore 
dismiss  him  from  the  Massachusetts  service : 
but  on  account  of  his  inexperience  and  youth, 
and  the  great  confusion  which  attended  that 
day's  transaction  in  general,  they  do  not  con- 
sider him  incapable  of  a  Continental  commis- 
Q 


180  APPENDIX. 

sion,  should  the  general  officers  recommend 
him  to  his  Excellency." 

Colonel  Mansfield  was  obviously  guilty  of  an 
error,  arising  only  from  inexperience.  Two 
only  were  found  guilty  of  cowardice  ;  of  these 
Colonel  Gerrish  was  certainly  guilty  of  a  want 
of  military  ardour  and  activity,  but  this  was  a 
constitutional  defect.  He  was  not  accused  be- 
fore the  committee  of  Congress  by  General  Put- 
nam, and,  in  the  opinion  of  the  very  respectable 
judge  advocate  who  tried  him,  he  was  far  too 
harshly  treated. 

The  only  officer  apparently  guilty  of  cow- 
ardice, Captain  Callender,  is  a  glorious  instance 
of  the  buoyancy  of  real  New  England  heroism, 
and  the  redeeming  efficacy  of  a  pure  conscience, 
a  mind  conscious  of  rectitude.  The  furious  de- 
nunciation of  Putnam,  the  condemnation  of  the 
court,  and  thundering  proscription  of  Washing- 
ton ,  would  have  crushed  any  one  for  ever,  who 
was  armed  with  a  panoply  less  divine. 

A  committee  of  Congress  was  appointed  to 
inquire  into  the  truth  of  a  report,  that  some  of- 
ficers of  the  army  had  been  guilty  of  miscon- 
duct ;  they  report,  that  they  had  made  inquiry 
of  General  Putnam  and  other  officers,  who 
were  in  the  hottest  of  the  battle,  and  that  the 
general  charged  Captain  Callender  and  another 
artillery  officer,  with  infamous  cowardice,  one 
of  the  principal  causes  of  the  defeat,  and  in- 
formed them  that  he  would  quit  the  service  if 
these  officers  were  not  made  an  example  of, 


APPENDIX.  181 

and  that  one  of  them  ought  to  be  shot.  The 
court  martial  condemned  Captain  Callender, 
and  General  Washington  approved  the  judg- 
ment, "  not  only  from  the  particular  guilt  of 
Captain  Callender,  but  the  fatal  consequence  of 
such  a  conduct  to  the  army,  and  to  the  cause 
of  America  in  general." 

Notwithstanding  this,  our  hero  resolved  to 
compel  the  world  to  acknowledge,  by  his  future 
conduct,  that  his  past  had  been  mistaken.  He 
continued  with  his  corps  as  a  volunteer,  and 
desperately  exposed  himself  in  every  action. 
The  brave  and  beneficent  General  Knox  ex- 
tended to  him  his  friendship. 

At  the  battle  on  Long  Island,  the  captain  and 
lieutenant  of  the  company  of  artillery,  with 
which  he  served,  were  shot;  he  assumed  the 
command,  and  fought  the  pieces  to  the  last ; 
refused  to  retreat,  and  the  bayonets  of  the  sol- 
diers were  just  upon  him,  when  a  British  offi- 
cer, admiring  his  chivalrous  and  desperate 
courage,  interfered  and  saved  his  life. 

General  Washington  expressed  his  high  ap- 
probation of  his  conduct,  gave  him  his  hand 
with  his  most  cordial  thanks ;  ordered  the  sen- 
tence of  the  court  martial  condemning  him,  to 
be  'erased  from  the  orderly  book,  and  restored  to 
him  his  commission.  He  held  his  commission 
during  the  war,  and  left  the  service  at  the  peace, 
with  the  highest  honour  and  reputation. 

Captain  Dearborn  was  afterwards  highly 
distinguished  during  the  revolutionary  war,  for 


182  APPENDIX. 

his  bravery  and  enterprise.  He  volunteered  at 
the  head  of  a  company  of  men,  selected  from 
the  regiment  to  accompany  Arnold  in  the  win- 
ter of  1775,  through  the  trackless  wilds,  to 
Quebec;  an  enterprise,  which,  in  daring,  hardi- 
hood, and  courage,  is  not  surpassed  by  the  im- 
mortal passage  of  the  Alps  by  Hannibal.  He 
was  major  of  a  battalion  of  light  infantry,  at 
Saratoga,  and  his  services  were  acknowledged 
by  Gates,  in  the  highest  terms  of  approbation. 
Cilley's  regiment,  of  which  he  was  lieutenant- 
colonel,  was  the  most  distinguished  corps  in 
the  battle  of  Monmouth,  and  the  salvation  of 
the  army  was  owing  to  their  heroic  courage. 
General  Washington  acknowledged  the  ser- 
vice, and  sent  to  inquire  what  regiment  it 
was.  "  Full  blooded  yankees,  by  ....  sir," 
was  the  answer  of  Dearborn.  He  was  after- 
wards secretary  at  war,  appointed  by  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson ;  and  during  the  last  war  was  the  first 
major-general  and  senior  officer  of  the  Ameri- 
can army. 

Porter,  the  promising  artillerist,  who  stood  by 
his  piece  and  his  captain  to  the  last,  has  since 
then  risen  through  every  grade  of  office  to  the 
rank  of  brigadier-general  in  the  army,  to  which 
he  has  ever  since  belonged  ;  and  has  main- 
tained an  uniform  and  distinguished  reputation 
as  one  of  the  first  artillery  officers  in  service. 
The  important  post  of  Norfolk  was  intrusted  to 
his  command  the  last  war,  and  he  is  now  sta- 
tioned at  Boston,  in  command  of  the  very  dis- 


APPENDIX.  183 

trict  which  he  so  bravely  contributed  to  defend 
in  1775. 

Immediately  after  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill, 
the  rank  of  major-general  was  conferred  on 
Colonel  Gridley. 

America  commenced  her  revolution  with  but 
four  pieces  of  cannon,  and  to  his  mechanical 
science  and  ingenuity  she  was  indebted  for  the 
first  mortars  and  cannon  ever  cast  in  the  coun- 
try. 

Alter  being  confined  some  months  by  his 
wound,  he  repaired  to  Cambridge,  and  super- 
intended the  fortifications  erecting  round  Bos- 
ton. On  the  4th  March,  1776,  he  was  again 
engaged  in  erecting  fortifications  in  the  night, 
and  the  address,  science,  and  prodigies  of  la- 
bour, displayed  at  Dorchester  Heights,  were 
perhaps  never  exceeded,  except  on  Breed's 
Hill.  These  works  expelled  the  enemy  from 
Boston.  General  Gridley  fortified  the  heights 
of  this  place  and  the  islands  in  the  harbour, 
and  General  Washington  urged  him  to  accom- 
pany the  army,  but  his  advanced  age  forbade. 
He  retired  on  half  pay.  In  1795  he  assisted  in 
laying  the  corner  stone  of  the  state  house,  as  he 
had  in  1775  to  lay  the  corner  stone  of  the  state, 
and  lived  in  remarkable  health  to  the  age  of 
eighty-six,  a  model  of  courtliness,  beneficence, 
and  hospitality,  as  well  as  all  the  high  perfec- 
tions of  a  soldier. 

Colonel  Stark  will  be  recognised  as  the  hero 
of  Bennington,  but  it  is  not  BO  generally  known 


184  APPENDIX. 

that  he  employed  an  ingenious  and  successful 
expedient  to  strike  a  panic  into  the  enemy, 
and  assist  him  in  achieving  his  glorious  victory. 
He  had  one  iron  cannon,  but  neither  powder 
sufficient  to  employ  it,  nor  balls ;  he  ordered  an 
officer,  however,  to  charge  it,  who  objected  the 
want  of  balls  ;  "  no  matter,"  said  the  colonel, 
'•'  load  it  with  blank  cartridge,  and  let  the  dis- 
charge be  the  signal  for  all  the  troops  to  rush 
on  the  enemy."  The  Hessians  were  panic- 
struck  at  the  thundering  report,  his  troops 
rushed  on  with  loud  hurras,  and  the  victory 
was  complete. 

Honourable  James  Winthrop,  and  James 
Swan,  Esquire,  accompanied  the  re-enforcements 
to  Breed's  Hill,  with  their  muskets,  as  volun- 
teers ;  fought  valiantly,  and  the  former  was 
wounded. 

But  five  days  after  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill, 
General  Ward  writes  Congress,  that,  unless  en- 
listing orders  be  immediately  furnished  him, 
he  shall  be  left  entirely  alone.  The  day  before, 
however,  that  body  resolved,  that  an  army  of 
thirty  thousand  was  necessary,  that  Massachu- 
setts would  raise  thirteen  thousand  six  hun- 
dred, and  that  the  other  New  England  states 
should  have  notice  given  them,  and  be  re- 
quested to  furnish  their  respective  proportions. 
But  the  battle  of  Lexington  was  a  beacon  fire 
to  the  neighbouring  states.  The  hardy  yeo- 
men, whom  rage  supplied  with  arms,  did  not 
wait  to  be  summoned  by  the  tardy  process  of 


APPKNDIX.  18& 

legislation  ;  they  seized  their  hunting  pieces, 
and  flew  to  join  their  brethren  at  the  scene  of 
danger. 

The  Committee  of  Safety,  elected  anew  by 
Congress  at  every  session,  were  the  real  execu- 
tive of  Massachusetts.  The  members  were 
now  John  Hancock  and  Benjamin  Greenleaf, 
who  never  took  their  seats,  John  Pigeon  and 
Enoch  Freeman,  seldom  present,  and  Joseph 
Warren,  chairman,  Benjamin  Church,  Benja- 
min White,  Joseph  Palmer,  Abraham  Watson, 
Samuel  Holten,  Azor  Orne,  Nathan  Gushing, 
and  Richard  Devens.  They  were  empowered 
generally  to  watch  over  the  safety  of  the  com- 
monwealth, and  advise  Congress  of  such  mea- 
sures as  they  thought  beneficial ;  and  expressly 
commissioned : 

"  To  assemble  such  and  so  many  of  the  mi- 
litia, and  them  to  dispose  and  place  where  and 
"detain  so  long  as  said  committee  shall  judge 
necessary,  and  discharge  said  militia  when  the 
safety  of  the  colony  will  admit.  And  the  offi- 
cers of  the  said  militia  are  enjoined  to  obey  the 
orders  and  directions  of  said  Committee  of  Safe- 
ty. And  also  to  direct  the  army  of  this  colony 
to  be  stationed  where  said  Committee  of  Safety 
shall  judge  most  conducive  to  the  defence  and 
service  of  this  colony;  and  the  general  and 
other  officers  of  the  army  are  requested  to  render 
strict  obedience  to  such  orders  of  said  commit- 
tee ;  but  Congress  have  power  to  control  any 
order  of  the  Committee  of  Safety.  Also  to  norm- 


186  APPENDIX. 

nate  persons  to  Congress  to  be  commissioned  of- 
ficers in  the  army,  and  to  give  enlisting  orders 
to  such  persons  as  they  think  proper.  And  if  any 
officers  be  ready  to  be  commissioned  agreeable 
to  the  resolve  of  this  Congress,  during:  the  re- 
cess of  the  same,  the  Committee  shall  fill  up 
and  deliver  to  them  commissions  to  be  furnished 
said  Committee  in  blank  for  that  purpose." 

This  committee  distributed  beating  or  enlist- 
ing orders  throughout  the  state  to  those  whom 
they  thought  qualified  to  raise  recruits.  The 
number  of  a  company  was  reduced  from  one 
hundred  to  fifty-nine  ;  and  he  who  could  enlist 
this  number  was  entitled  to  a  -captain's  com- 
mission, and  one  who  procured  ten  captains 
with  companies  to  serve  under  him  commanded 
the  regiment.  The  Congress  of  Massachusetts 
issued  an  eloquent  address  to  the  people,  which 
would  do  honour  to  any  legislature  on  earth. 
The  recruits  came  in  with  spirit,  and  by  the 
middle  of  June  the  New  England  army  of  citi- 
zen soldiers  enlisted  for  a  few  months  amounted 
to  about  fifteen  thousand  troops. 

About  ten  thousand  of  these  were  of  Massa- 
chusetts; animated  with  the  same  love  of  liberty 
which  inspired  the  whole,  they  were  most  con- 
fident in  the  rectitude  of  their  cause,  in  which 
they  were  thoroughly  instructed  by  James  Otis, 
who  led  the  forlorn  hope  of  the  revolution, 
John  Adams,  Quincy,  Hancock,  Samuel  Adams, 
and  other  enlightened  patriots.  And  they  were 
fighting  battles  more  peculiarly  their  own,  in 


APPENDIX.  187 

defence  of  their  wives,  children,  and  homes. 
But  the  more  animating  consideration  to  them 
as  soldiers,  was  the  chivalrous  reputation  of 
their  ancestors  and  themselves,  who  had  been 
in  constant  battle  and  constant  victory  against 
their  formidable  savage  foe,  and  had  more  re- 
cently proved  at  Nova  Scotia  and  Louisburgh 
that  they  were  equally  formidable  against  the 
civilized  troops  of  Europe. 

The  regiment  of  artillery  was  organized  un- 
der Colonel  Richard  Gridley,  Lieutenant-Co- 
lonel William  Burbeck,  Majors  David  Mason 
and  Scarborough  Gridley,  and  ten  captains, 
with  one  six,  two  brass  four,  and  six  iron  three 
pound  cannon. 

Rhode  Island  had  sent  a  regiment  to  Massa- 
chusetts, imbued  with  the  determined  spirit  ot 
civil  and  religious  liberty,  which  the  founder 
of  their  state  maintained  through  every  peril. 
Colonel  Green  was  their  commander,  one  of  the 
most  promising  heroes  of  the  revolution.  The 
elements  of  a  soldier  were  so  mixed  in  him, 
that  the  wise  already  foresaw  his  elevated  rank 
among  warriors  the  most  distinguished.  Under 
him  were  Lieutenant-Colonel  Olny  and  Major 
Boxan,  experienced  English  soldiers.  Two 
field  pieces  were  attached  to  the  corps. 

The  hardy  yeomanry  of  New  Hampshire, 
beneath  whose  ponderous  strokes  the  formida- 
ble forests,  and  the  savages  who  inhabited  them, 
had  been  levelled  with  the  ground,  who  had 
been  used  to  little  control  but  what  the  God 


188  APPENDIX. 

of  Nature  imposed,  were  moved  with  indigna- 
tion at  approaching  tyranny.  They  flocked  as 
volunteers  to  the  neighbourhood  of  Boston,  and 
chose  Colonel  Stark,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Wy- 
man,  and  Major  M'Clary,  their  leaders. 

Their  colonel  was  worthy  to  command  this 
formidable  band  ;  he  had  been  a  distinguished 
captain  of  Provincial  Rangers  received  into 
the  service  of  the  crown ;  was  at  Quebec,  un- 
der General  Wolfe,  and  enjoyed  half  pay,  as  a 
British  officer,  an  offering  he  made  wi]h  other 
sacrifices,  for  the  good  of  his  country. 

Their  major  also  was  a  favourite  officer. 
Six  feet  and  a  half  in  height,  with  a  Herculean 
form  in  perfect  proportions,  a  voice  like  Sten- 
tor,  and  strength  of  Ajax  ;  ever  unequalled  in 
athletic  exercises,  and  unsubdued  in  single 
combat ;  whole  bodies  of  men  had  been  over 
come  by  him ;  arid  he  seemed  totally  uncon- 
scious that  he  was  not  equally  unconquerable 
at  the  cannon's  mouth.  His  mind  and  charac- 
ter were  of  the  same  grand  and  energetic  cast 
with  his  person  ;  and  though  deficient  in  the 
advantages  of  finished  education,  he  had  been 
a  member  of  the  state  legislature,  and  his  mer- 
cantile concerns  were  extensive. 

These  troops  were  followed  by  another  regi- 
ment from  New  Hampshire,  which  arrived  on 
the  fifteenth  of  June,  under  Colonel  Reed, 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Oilman,  and  Major  Hale. 

Connecticut,  essentially  and  undeviatingly 
republican,  was  behind  none  of  the  provinces 


APPENDIX.  189 

in  her  determined  hostility  to  the  usurpation 
and  encroachments  of  the  throne.  To  her 
antipathy  to  royalty  the  proscribed  judges  of 
Charles  the  First  had  owed  their  inviolable 
asylum  in  her  territory.  Religious  as  well  as 
civil  liberty  was  in  jeopardy,  and  the  former 
with  her  was  paramount  to  all  earthly  consider- 
ations. In  her  vocabulary  the  British  troops 
were  the  Philistines,  and  Putnam,  the  American 
Samson,  a  chosen  instrument  to  defeat  the  foe; 
and  fortunately  she  inspired  her  own  confi- 
dence into  all  her  sister  states. 

With  their  usual  sagacity,  however,  these 
troops,  notwithstanding  a  confident  reliance  on 
supernatural  aid,  did  hot  neglect  all  human 
means  to  secure  it.  Their  state  government, 
constitution,  and  establishments,  continued  un- 
changed. Their  troops  were  better  armed,  bet- 
ter disciplined  and  provisioned,  than  any  troops 
in  the  New  England  army. 

General  Ward  was  a  gentleman  of  liberal 
education,  vigorous  understanding,  and  distin- 
guished probity.  He  had  been  a  member  of 
the  council,  speaker  of  the  assembly,  and  chief 
justice  of  one  of  the  courts  in  Massachusetts. 
He  professed  the  rigid  tenets  of  New  England 
religion,  and  his  rank  and  character  command- 
ed an  extensive  influence  in  the  country.  He 
had  also  served  with  reputation  in  the  war  of 
1756,  was  a  lieutenant-colonel  at  the  storming 
of  Ticonderoga,  under  General  Abercrombie, 
and  soon  after  commanded  the  regiment.  He 


190  APPENDIX. 

had  also  been  a  colonel  in  the  militia,  an  office 
from  which  Governor  Hutchinson  relieved  him 
on  account  of  his  being  too  true  a  patriot. 

General  Thomas  received  the  appointment  of 
lieutenant-general,  which  he  accepted  on  the 
the  27th  of  May.  His  superior  talents,  culti- 
vated by  a  liberal  education,  his  gallantry,  ac- 
tivity, and  vigilance  as  a  soldier,  purity  as  a 
patriot,  and  honour  as  a  man,  commanded  the 
entire  confidence  of  all  who  knew  him.  He 
had  served  in  the  former  war  with  reputation, 
and  had  already  distinguished  himself  in  this. 
Being  in  command  at  Roxbury,  with  a  feeble 
force,  General  Gage  nad  deter  mined  to  drive 
him  fro;n  ^tat  important  post.  But  his  vigi- 
'•mce  delected  the  design,  and  defeated  it. 

n  the  uay  nxed  for  the  attack,  all  his  troops 
were  paraded,  marching  them  round  the  hill 
on  which  he  was  encamped,  in  view  of  Boston, 
and  returning  those  in  front  by  a  short  rout 
again  to  the  rear,  they  wore  the  appearance  of 
a  long  column  of  troops.  Being  without  uni- 
lurm,  the  deception  was  perfect,  and  General 
Gage,  alarmed  with  the  show  of  force,  relin- 
quished the  enterprise. 


•••*. 


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